




























1 






I 



I 










% 


i 


\\ 

$ 




Here and There a Man 

R/Ei' BARRETT 


Author of "The Narrow Way," “Ten Years 
in the Gilded Path,” etc. 



> 

y 

> 

0 > 


BOSTON 

THP: ROXBURGH PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. 



Copyrighted 1919 
R. E. BARRETT 
All rights reserved 


StP 27 1919 


©CU529984 


DEDICATION. 


This book is dedicated to pure, honorable, 
virile men, wherever they may be found, — 
men of the farms, of the cities, factories, of- 
fices, churches ; men in Governmental employ,, 
men on the railroads, soldiers in the army,, 
sailors on the high seas, and those pursuing 
every vocation in life, from the laborer who 
toils for his high-priced bread to those in ex- 
alted stations, this book is dedicated to each> 
and all of you. God bless you ! Be Men ! 




% 

t 


I 

\ 




\ 


*1 







CHAPTER I. 


Mixed Emotions. 

The day before Ernest Landon started on 
his westwaird journey to find a field for his 
stored up energy, and lately finished educa- 
tion, he sauntered and reviewed all the fa- 
miliar places of his boyhood home, and said 
good bye to each and all. 

He strolled over the hills into the pleas- 
ant valley where the little stream played, 
and sat beneath the shade of the old Elm he 
loved so well. 

His eye wandered to a sweet and cosy 
spot farther down its winding course where 
he had spent many joyful hours talking and 
yearning with the fairest maiden in the val- 
ley. He was thinking of her now, and the 
more he thought about her the sadder his 
thoughts became. He knew he must leave 
her and he sorely dreaded the good bye 
parting. He had lingered hours and hours 
living in this rendezvous of the past, when he 
was startled from his reverie at the sound 
of a snapping twig. Looking hastily around 
he beheld the sweetest being God ever gave 
the breath of life. “Why, Millie Sommers, 


10 


HERE AND THERE 


aches of the whole community, and was a 
father to the young and old. “Well, 
Ernest,” he said in his fatherly way. “I 
did not aim to, but I saw all that just trans- 
pired between you and Millie, and allow me 
to add my blessing.” 

“Thank you,” said the boy, “I am not 
ashamed that you saw it, Judge, it is hon- 
orable in the sight of Him above, sanc- 
tioned by Him in His commandments, and 
may its beauty keep me pure as the dew 
that falls over these beloved hills and val- 
leys.” 

“Good, good,” said the Judge, “proper 
thing to do, and never forget about the part 
you mentioned about the dew. I hear you 
are leaving tomorrow, Ernest, to seek fame 
and fortune, and before you go I would be 
pleased to have you call at my home. I 
have always had an interest in you and it 
will give me pleasure to have you come.” 

“Most certainly I will be pleased to come 
and if it suits your convenience I will be 
there at 8 o’clock tomorrow evening,” said 
Ernest. 

“Just the hour I would have suggested,” 
said the Judge, “and good bye ’til then.” 

When the hour arrived the boy was 
promptly on hand, much to the gratification 
of the friendly judge. “Pleased to see you, 
Ernest, take a chair and feel at home.” 


A MAN 


11 


'‘Thank you, Judge,” said the boy as he sat 
down. 

“Ernest, my boy, I am sad to see you 
leave us, I have known you since your birth. 
I knew your father and mother; you were 
well born, and of fine and honorable parent- 
age, you have been well reared and edu- 
cated, and I had hoped you would aceept a 
law tutorship under me, but as you have 
seen otherwise I have no criticism to offer, 
and your future welfare lies as close to my 
heart as ever. I want to see you become a 
rejected citizen that will be an honor to 
any community where your lot may he 
cast, and if ever the time comes when I can 
be of any service to you, do not have trepi- 
dation to call upon me. I am going to paint 
a word picture, and 1 hope it may be of 
some service to you, and if it is I feel amply 
repaid. I am going to compare it with the 
clouds, and let you be the recipient in all 
its component parts, which I trust are all 
for enhancement of the highest moral 
standards, to strengthen, benefit and guide 
y.ou when the storms toss and beat against 
the frail bark of life, as we guide it along 
the shoals of our uncertain existence. 

“In the journey of life, from the first wail 
of the infant to the last tear at the casket, 
we meet all kinds of clouds. There are the 
clouds of happiness when we play as chil- 
dren, romping in God^s clean outdoors, in- 


12 


HERE AND THERE 


nocents in our pastime and care free of 
what our lot may be in the future, and its 
problems.’ Responsibilities are not burden- 
some to us in this day, as we play and play 
to heart’s desire, and lie down at night to 
rest and slumber in complete exhaustion. 
We awake in another youthful summer 
morn and take up th^ same pleasure again, 
and play and play to complete content. 

“The clouds of accountability appear when 
we bud forth into manhood. We commence 
to then realize that we were intended fo]r 
some work and usefulness, and in the fulness 
of our vitality, taste the fragrance and en- 
joyment of life’s great battles. They, how- 
ever, do not worry us for the reason that we 
enjoy and invite anything full of perplexity, 
and smile to ourselves at how easy it looks 
and how some one has failed at obstacles 
whose solution looks so plausible and re- 
quires seemingly such a small amount of 
intelligence to solve. 

“The clouds of contentment obliterate all 
other clouds when in our fullest joy we ask 
some maiden to partake of the refreshing 
anticipations we expect and are confident 
we will acquire. There is no doubt of our 
acquisition of these joys; they cannot be 
otherwise, as every asset is ours when 
youth and love are ours. 

“As the great plan moves on and the 
clouds of satisfaction fulfill all our desires 


A MAN 


13 


and hopes, and keep streaming over the 
horizon of delight, an extreme sweetness 
comes when the little fellows call us papa. 
As they grow and intertwine their little 
lives into ours and become a breathing, liv- 
ing part of us, we feel that our lot has been 
sweet and God had been good to us. As 
they grow from babyhood into toddlers go- 
ing to school, the cloud of hope warms up 
our hearts in planning for their future, and 
expecting great things of them. Nobody 
ever had such children as ours. Then come 
the clouds of sorrow and the mists fall, 
finances bother us, things go wrong, we get 
impatient and fretful and every way we 
seem to turn we are baffled. Despondency 
enthralls us, the clouds hang low and black, 
the thunder rattles and roars and the light- 
ning booms and cracks and zigzags across 
the sky of gloom, and we almost suffer de- 
feat. Despair hovers around us until our 
heads nearly break from thinking in our 
anxiety to figure some way to extricate the 
unforseen condition we have became entan- 
gled in. 

“We struggle and yearn and lie awake 
nights tossing and turning on our beds of 
thorns and thistles, melancholy saturates 
our entire being until we get almost semi- 
demented from remorse and failure. We 
grit our teeth in the determination that the 
clouds will lift and let the sunshine 


14 


HERE AND THERE 


through, we realize that there may be days 
when clouds will darken our mental vis- 
ion, but surely there must be a day when 
the sun will burst through and Tts welcome 
rays will dispel the awful blackness and its 
warmth and beauty bring out the better 
side to gladden and restore. 

“After we have borne our cross and 
drunk the bi'tterness of our Gethsemane and 
have staggered from the weariness and eK- 
haustion, and have felt the chilliness of our 
fellow men that always comes, when we 
hover near the border line of either mental 
or financial bankruptcy. We turn in our 
extreme need to find something better and 
stronger, surer. We know the battle has 
lessened our vitality, stolen our youth, dried 
up the reservoir of conceit and almost con- 
quered us from the standpoint of an utter 
dependence in our own strength. 

“Then we behold the glorious clouds, 
when the earthly curtain is pulled up by the 
hands of angels, and as we look into the 
depths of their vastness, with penetrating 
and searching anxiety, we are finally able 
to see the shining face of the crucified Man 
of Calvary smiling at us, and we feel assured 
here is our refuge and a safe harbor for all 
the storms and trials of life, and a sweet and 
restful happiness dwells in our hearts that 
all will be well. He is the one that looks so 
sad when we tell Him of the heart aches. 


15 *. 


A 

and the trials, and He looks down and says,^. 
“Why did ye not seek me in the days of 
thy youth, as I could have helped you, oh, 
so much, when the burden was heavy? Why 
did you not come as I asked you when you 
were weak and heavy laden, and received 
that rest, that I promised?’ And while we 
neglected to heed we feel now that we still, 
need the essence of that entreaty, and we 
lift up our hands to stronger and more sym- 
pathetic hands and we pour out our soul to 
this steadfast friend, and the clouds, com- 
mence to disappear, and we see all things 
anew. The mists may fall again, the heavy 
clouds may hang low, the same discourage- 
mcMts and heart aches will come again, and 
the entire category of gloom will hover 
around us, but it cannot overwhelm or en- 
gulf us, for we have an added strength, a 
greater help, and an ever bubbling spring of 
encouragement and help for all our trials, 
embodied in a sweet peace and joyful hap- 
piness that chases, away all clouds and 
never leaves you alone.” 

“God bless you, my boy,” said the Judge,, 
as he laid his hand on his shoulder, “never 
be ashamed to stand squarely for every 
principle as is laid down by the great 
Author of Righteousness ; call on Him 
often, and take this Bible as a token of my 
esteem of Him, and a safe guide for your 
untrained feet.” 


16 HERE AND THERE 

“Thank you, Judge, said the boy as he 
brushed a side a tear, “Fll be a MAN/' and 
he stepped out into the darkness ot the 
night with a fuller conception of life’s prob- 
lem’s, than he had ever realized before. 


A MAN 


17 


CHAPTER II. 

Pleasure and Adviee. 

After Ernest had left Millie, and those 
joyful hours were still filling her breast 
with that new and blissful joy, she was 
thinking of the time when he would come 
to claim her as his own, and how happy she 
would be. “What a joyful thing life is,” 
she thought, “ full of hope and sweetness. 
How beautiful everything is, and what a 
wise Creator that provided and moulded 
such perfection. How pleasant it is to live, 
and what glittering prospects the future 
has.” 

Charmed with her thoughts, she stroMed 
along in the pleasing sunshine of her life, 
and walked and talked with nature. The 
birds sang to her as she passed them ; the 
trees smiled, the skies seemed to be satis- 
fied; the valley listened, and the fiowers 
whispered, and the little stream was saying 
what Ernest said, and as she sat again by 
the old elm, she wished it might speak and 
tell the story again. What a privilege to 
live in such a big world, with nature to con- 
sole and encourage. What was that she 


18 


HERE AND THERE 


heard the Judge telling some one to do, — 
one less fortunate than herself? Oh, yes, 
now she remembered, ‘‘Encouragement is a 
shining jewel that sparkles when used and 
dispels gloom with brightness. 

“That’s what I will do some day,” she 
thought, “when he comes back to claim me. 
ril drive away all his cares and pains, and 
be a model, ever-bubbling spring of encour- 
agement to the weary and depre§sed. Yes, 
I will.” , 

And the old elm that had stood for years 
and years and watched the sunbeams kiss 
the little stream, bowed its head in sympa- 
thetic understanding. A little zephyr 
played here and there, rumpling and tossing 
a lock of her hair, and the birds sang a 
quiet and restful coo, coo, and all nature 
seemed to understand the old old story. 

“Oh, what a beautiful thing life is, how 
could it be otherwise?” she thought as the 
new emotion surged back and forth like 
the restless tide of the sea and kept refresh- 
ing and invigorating and pacifying. What 
noise was that she heard and what right 
had any living being to disturb her 
thoughts ? 

“What in the world are you doing here, 
Patrick Brannigan?” 

“Out for me hilth.” 

“Shame on you for using the English lan- 
guage so arrogantly,” said Millie. 


A MAN 


1 § 


‘‘Listen to me new poem, Millie/’ said 
Pat, without any apparent discomfiture, 
and he started to recite. 

“Take care, my maiden. 

When your years are laden. 

With the best that God can give, 
That some artful boy 
Whose most alloy 
Will want your life to give- 

“Remember you’ll rue 
If from haste you do 
The things that make Hfe sad, 
’Tis better to wait 
Than seal your fate 
With a heart that’s vile and bad. 

“Don’t try and think 
That the boy who’ll drink 
And smoke a cigarette. 

Is the one you can 
Make out a Man 
And all your life regret. 

“Ring out a NO 
For such a beau; 

He isn’t worth your while. 

Just bide a wee 

And be sure ’tis he 

You know is free from guile.” 


20 


HERE AND THERE 


“Why Pat, such a poem for my hearing?’" 

“ Tis nothing, me lady ; ’tis me nature 
that flows to poetry. Good day, but ra- 
mimbir the laytle verses,” and he departed. 

“Well, I declare, Pat surely does not 
know about the betrothal and the sweet 
pledges made, does he, old elm and little 
stream? I know he does not. His poetry 
is not appropriate. I’ll remember to tell 
him some years later of the mistake he 
made in reciting such as he did, and tell 
him of the error he made, but shucks ! he’ll 
get out of it some way. I have the first to 
see of his type that couldn’t through some 
way or the other get out of any kind of cor- 
ner. It’s a wonder death could defeat his 
likes.” 

•“Well, I declare, Millie,” said Judge 
Wilhelm, “conversing with nature? I 
thought I heard some one speaking-” 

“Oh, no. Judge, not with nature, but a 
nature fakir.” 

“Well, I declare,” said the Judge with a 
smile, “and whom, I pray, ts the imposter?” 

“Oh, that man Brannigan was here, and 
of course, he was full as usual.” 

“Why, Millie! Full, Brannigan full?” 

“Yes, full of poetry.” 

“Oh, that sounds better. I would have 
been pleased to have heard him recite, and 
may I ask was the poetry fitted to the oc- 
casion, or rather, I should say, to the occa- 


A MAN 


31 


sions, that have transpired in the last few 
hours ?” 

“Why, Judge Wilhelm,’' she said, as she 
sprang to her feet, “did you see and hear?” 

“I saw,” said the Judge, “but alas, I did 
not hear; but the latter part I can realize 
from your glowing countenance and by 
taking a glimpse of my own life some forty 
or more years in the past. Allow me to add 
my blessing, a double blessing, so to speak, 
as I have already bestowed one upon 
Ernest.” 

“Well, thank you. Judge. I some way 
do not dread to speak of it before you.” 

“Never dread anything that is honorable, 
Millie, and especially the beauty and fra- 
grance of an epoch like this that is entirely 
satisfactory to the plans of both God and 
man. And while I think of it, Millie, I wish 
you would come to my home this evening. 
Excepting other engagements at 8 o’clock 
P. M., I have a few words that I would be 
pleased to offer to you as a sort of advance 
guard.” 

“I’ll be pleased, highly pleased, to come,”^ 
she said, and they parted. 

As the clock tolled the eight strike, in 
walked the petite Millie, in a well-cut, sen- 
sible evening gown. 

“Glad to see you. Miss Millie,” said the 
Judge, “and to note your promptness. 
Now Millie,” said the Judge, in a sort of a 


22 


HERE AND THERE 


sad tone, “I hope you will take no offense 
at my few remarks, as nothing would be 
farther from my thoughts or give me more 
pain than to have you construe anything i 
say into disrespect. I believe in advising 
on the bench, and more readily so off the 
bench, and what I wish to say is gleaned 
from personal observation and the immoral 
effect it has to spread decay by its abuse 
and disregard. You are on the threshold of 
life with all before you, and you will be 
held responsible for whatever part you take. 
Do not cause anyone to stumble by your 
actions. Keep your mind clean, your body 
pure, and your actions straightforward, 
and you will be respected and admired, and 
some day be able to see the clear water 
under the miry, unclean surface, and thank 
me for my interest in you, and understand. 
You are old and sensible enough to fully 
understand the sad lessons that come from 
abused moral standards, and I will talk 
along this line under the caption. Is it all 
man’s fault? 

*While we are heaping tirade, deecit and 
all the attributes that a false man repre- 
sents and is deserving of, and contending 
he is entitled to the major portion, and 
which he is, and also giving him his deserts 
as a flatterer and gay imposter, which he is 
also entitled to, let us not forget that noble 
being God created from man and destined 


A MAN 


23 


woman. Let us focus our field glasses of 
truth upon her awhile as she saunters along 
the highway of righteousness, and see how 
far she has wandered from the straight and 
pure path, and also note as we go along how 
much, if any, she has helped to raise or lower 
the moral standards for men, and what she is 
doing to help lessen the immoral wave that 
is flooding this country. Let us wander with 
her awhile in the silent sanctuary of purity 
and see just what her attitude as a strong 
moral force is composed of. In the first place 
does she always stand for cleanliness of 
thought, and is she careful that this funda- 
mental principle and requisite is not allowed 
to tarnish through any impropriety of the 
slangy and uncultured phrases that abound at 
the present time so prevalently? Is she the 
source of admiration and beauty that God in- 
tended her for? She certainly is, and far 
above in comparison with man, but not as she 
was originally intended. She is negligent in 
allowing herself to follow fashion, to the ex- 
tent of immodesty that is degrading and un- 
chaste. Remember, whenever woman casts 
aside modesty and bows complacently to im- 
proper attire, she invites and encourages de- 
basing remarks that she certainly must be 
cognizant of, and that lies within herself to 
correct and abstain from. Can man have 
the pure and moral thought of woman that 
he should when everywhere he meets her she 


24 


HERE AND THERE 


flaunts temptation in his face, boldly and ar- 
rogantly, makes advances in manner and ac- 
tions improper, and acts and looks too be- 
witching. It is true, chastity in man should 
pass this by unnoticed, and the pure, clean- 
minded man does, but should not cleanliness 
in woman, who is built on a higher and purer 
plan than man, be uppermost? Why should 
woman stoop to the things when she is aware 
of the danger it incurs? Her distasteful ap- 
parel cannot attract otherwise than that 
which is disrespectful and demoralizing and 
decreases virtue. 

“Any woman that flirts with temptation 
and constantly flaunts it before men, cannot 
expect to keep her high stadard of purity and 
sacred virtue, and at the same time aggran- 
dize the opposite force that combats. Bold, for- 
ward women do not become such instantly, 
but allow themselves the training by stoop- 
ing to disobey, and little by little timid femin- 
ity becomes Iwld and brazen and leads farther 
and farther away until the caution ceases to 
become her strong Gibraltar. 

“Any effrontery that is not curbed, sooner 
or later drags its victim into a miry, treach- 
erous, and unsafe condition that takes some 
herculean effort to overcome and retain again 
the anchor of virtue, the untarnished jewel of 
God’s greatest gift. The beast in man that 
takes the spirit of Jesus to eliminate and 
thoroughly eradicate and quell, is hazardous 


A MAN 


2B 


when enticed and tempted by unthinking 
women. All men are not of this foul stand- 
ard, but the number of them that are is simply 
astonishing, and any student of observation 
who has reached my age in life will bear out 
my assertion. Women should be extremely 
sensitive of the great claim posterity has upon 
them, and the highly essential need they are to 
future progress and happiness. Think long 
and well, whether or not your successors will 
be idiots, imbeciles, lunatics, or individuals 
with clean minds and great moral and intel- 
lectual force. We cannot advance and keep 
our prestige as a country unless we have 
mothers and fathers worthy of the name. 
Any one with the minutest intelligence can 
look far enough into the uncertain future and 
see generations that cannot be compared to 
earlier ones, when men and women lived 
purer lives, and especially the women. Man 
has never been the clean-minded and pure- 
thinking atom that he should, and in every 
generation the woman has been above him, 
and the greater model of righteousness and 
virtue. 

‘Tt is for the women to cleanse and purify 
our country or else have a crying damnation 
on their souls, in so far as they are account- 
able for their portion. Frivolous women are 
not to blame so much, because they have not 
the intellects that contain much, development 
and advancement is beyond them, and it is 


26 


HERE AND THERE 


almost useless to spend any time with them, 
as the large part of frivolous girls are frivo- 
lous gray heads. Matrimony should be care- 
fully weighed and then re-weighed before 
any pure, noble, clean and virtuous girl weds 
the coarse, vulgar, sensual, degraded brute 
that makes life a living hell. 

“There are a few good, clean, splendid 
men that are worthy, but vigilance should be 
used assiduously, and be on your guard for 
vile, deceitful, low-down, dirty men, and 
dread them like poison, for they are the worst 
kind. Watch their countenances, and nature 
will help you if your observation is scrutiniz- 
ing, for every violation of the natural laws 
carries a penalty. Watch for them and be 
exceedingly cautious; it means so much to 
you. Keep ‘your dress and manners above 
reproach and distinctly remember the word 
'man' covers a small per cent in these days. 
Lustful brutes are what most of them are, 
and the filthiest, lowest kind, who wait to 
snare some pure, virtuous girl. Beware of 
them !’' 

“Thank you. Judge," said Millie, “for your 
admonition against woman in the part she is 
responsible for, and the denunciation of men. 
I know, young as I am, that you speak the 
truth, and again I thank you for your inter- 
est in my welfare, and bid you good even- 
ing" 


A MAN 


27 


CHAPTER III. 

A Friendly Call From Brannigan. 

“Good avening, your honor. I beg your 
pardon for not sinding in me craydintials an- 
nouncing that I was here, but baing an ould 
frind I take the liberty of dhroppin in whin- 
iver I can sphare the oppurtunity and con- 
vanience.’* 

“I am very glad to see you, Pat, and any 
breach of etiquette is not held against you, 
for none has been committed. I suppose as 
usual your soul is overcrowded with poetry, 
and any time you feel disposed to recite, I will 
class it as an honor to be a good listener.” 

“Shure, yer honor, you do me a great kind- 
ness to mintion me whim for the verses, and 
’fore we part I may impose a short verse or 
two to aise me sowl. But I dhropped in, me 
frind, to till ye that I fale lonesome since the 
going away of me other frind Airnest. He 
was a foine young mon and I hope ’tis the 
sphlendid, honorable mon he will ba for his 
own sake and the good ould fayther and 
mither and the swate and pritty Miss Millie.” 

“Pat,” said the Judge, “I always knew you 
were one of the tender and sympathetic kind, 
that has the interest of others at heart, and I 
wish to compliment you upon this rare and 
splendid trait; it is commendable, and I wish 


38 


HERE AND THERE 


more people had it. I tell you, Pat, that the 
majority of people in these days have too 
much frost in their natures, and leave a chilly 
trail wherever they go; it is giving help and 
encouragement to others that fought a clean 
and honorable fight, that pays and emulates. 

“This living to ourselves and turning a deaf 
ear to sorrow, heart aches and remorse is 
pretty narrow in my estimation, and not found 
in any of the teachings of the good book. I be- 
lieve in the good book and in endeavoing to 
live it the best I can. I believe the greatest 
sermon that was ever preached and far be- 
yond anything preceding or succeeding it that 
the fertile mind of man in all time has never 
come near its equal, llie whole essence of that 
wonderful logical theme, the sermon on the 
mount, dealt with the common people. Too 
much society, class distinction, and demoral- 
izing fads and nonsensical isms and schisms 
to advance in the pure and brotherly love, 
principle, and moral growth like we should. 
Too much time wasted in unprofitable amuse- 
ments that cut deep inroads into improved 
necessary and essential requirements to sus- 
tain a well-balanced, thoughtful individual or 
nation. Our time and attention is taken up 
with a sort of driftwood present-minute en- 
joyment and lay aside the crying need of 
charity and helping to bear the other fellow’s 
burden. The greatest enjoyments I have re- 
ceived in life have been those in assisting 


A MAK 


29 


Others, and while I hope it has assisted them, 
it has also been a great benefit to myself. It 
is the poor fellow who has lost and played 
the game clean that my heart goes out to. 
The cost is small to greet with friendliness 
the man that stands on the edge of the preci- 
pice of despondency and bring him away 
from his perilous position by words of cheer 
and brotherly interest. We owe this duty of 
assistance, and the more practised the fuller 
the remuneration.’’ 

“Bedad, Judge, ye almost make me spache- 
less with yer common sinse talk. I belave 
loike yer worthy silf that we can be milly- 
nares in doing good dades to ithers if we 
can’t ba the money koind. ’Tis a great com- 
fort a body enjoys' that shoves the paw of 
britherly affiction to a poor divil that is abc^ut 
to go down. I wish I could take yer laming, 
me good frind, and me stoicism, (do ye moind 
the worrud, Judge), and unite the two. 
Wouldn’t I make the dust fly from thim that 
hobnob in deginirate sociaty. But I haven’t 
the one requisite to compound with the ither, 
so o’ill be contint with following the gude 
book the way ye said and live up to the intil- 
ligince I have and stale a lay tie from ithers 
as I pass along.” 

'T am glad you said that, Pat, about liv- 
ing up to the intelligence you have; it covers 
some profound thought that is purifying. I 
can always learn something from you that 


30 


HERE AND THERE 


does me good, and it is not the first time since 
our long and valuable friendship that I have 
met difficulties in which you have helped me 
to solve, and while you may think your con- 
versation is commonplace and containing the 
usual remarks of a man of your education 
and reasoning powers, you say many things 
that are worthy, and more worthy of merit- 
able truth and helpfulness, than a great many 
who have both education and culture. It is 
not so much education as you think, and 
while I have the highest regard for any one 
who possesess that worthy attainment, it is 
not worth very much unless humanity can be 
benetfied by it. 

“And, after all, it is not so much what we 
know as what we do, and if we get so cul- 
tured and refined that we cannot do acts of 
kindness that come from the heart and help 
like the good Samaritan, that we are all en- 
trusted with, we are not keeping the moth 
and rust away, and the thieves are commenc- 
ing to break through and steal. It is the 
unsophisticated help we give in the urgent ne- 
cessity that puts the jewels in our crown. 
We are getting so far away from the loving 
teachings of him who gave his life that we 
might have a greater love, that if we do not 
call a halt, I feel uneasy that some great ca- 
lamity will come upon us like it seems it 
always takes to awaken from the lethargic- 
and perilous situation we are drifting in. 


A MAJjJ 


8X 


“We cannot expect to wander away from 
the laws of the Commandments and gain any 
lasting, beneficial reward. The law break- 
ers of God’s laws cannot escape the exacting 
penalties, with any more disregard than the 
laws of man, and it is simply a fundamental 
principle in the abstract that neither should, 
be violated if we are to gain the highest per- 
fection of honorable citizenry, in the sight of 
God and man. Can we look forward to any 
degree of national prosperity and expectancy 
with the same faith and desire it, or in other 
words, are we entitled to it if we abuse the 
basic foundation where growth and develop- 
ment are contained ? What would be the con-^ 
dition of our country if we flagrantly abused 
the spiritul law^? We are grossly negligent 
of violations of God’s law to our own detri- 
ment. We boast of honesty, and still if we 
run over to see our neighbor we lock our 
doors, and the old commandment is as good 
as ever, and still says ‘Thou shalt not steal'’ 
Why, this world here would be a paradise if 
the Ten Commandments were kept, and we 
would not need the Judicial department, and 
I believe it could be eliminated entirely. But 
the innocent must suffer with the guilty. 
The man that takes God’s name in vain is a 
law breaker of the commandments, just as 
much as the man who slanders your precious 
name. You take him to task and get resti- 
tution under the laws of the land, and God 


82 


HERE AOT) THERE 


lets him go. Yes, for a short time, but alas, 
how exacting he is too when the dew. of death 
moistens his brow, and how he pleads and 
clamors for another chance, and gets it and 
abuses it, and continually gets chances, and 
still God is good to him. God gives man 
every chance that can be given before he 
deals out the penalty. He listens to you con- 
demn him, deny him, blaspheme him, and 
commit all manner of offenses for sixty, sev- 
enty, eighty, and sometimes longer years, 
and then waits for you to come and ask for- 
giveness. He sees your immorality, your 
adultery, and double, sneaking life, seething 
with foulness and indecency, and still lets 
you go on. Can you find any one that will 
give you a squarer deal, when ninety-nine- 
men out of a hundred would have pummeled 
the life out of you if you did half as much 
against them as you have done against God. 
Then how can you expect to escape the peni- 
tentiary he has ready for you? You get it 
here, and don’t get old-fashioned and think 
you will escape it hereafter. You had your 
chance, and if you neglected it, blame no one 
but yourself, and call yourself what you 
really are, a miserable, law-breaking derelict. 

“Pat, I did not wish to say so much along 
this line, but I see so much by being in the 
position that I am, that sometimes I cannot 
help it. I see so much in the voluminous lit- 
tle dirty divorce cases that come before me. 


A MAN 


33 


that I am loath to cease. Understand me, 
I am not saying that there are not justifiable 
divorces, for there are, and it is a great bless- 
ing for many women and a few men. But 
when those rich humbugs get a divorce and 
marry again as soon as the law permits them, 
and then get another divorce and wed again, 
it makes me disgusted, and ifs a crying 
shame on our country to allow it. The dirty 
claims of infelicity set up in their petitions 
is an insult to the respectability of any com- 
munity, but the law helps their ends and de- 
sires and allows the disgraceful, immoral, 
putrid carbuncle to grow, and so we have it.” 

“Nivir did I hear you say so much along 
this loine, me frind, and I till ye truly, I 
dapely apprayciate the miny foine things ye 
have exprissid. Your sintimints and me own 
coinsoide pracisely and cling to me loike 
poverty to an ould counthry orishman, from 
me own experience ye till but the unclothed 
truth, and bedad me heart is dapely touched 
more than ivir for me fellow mon, and now 
a verse or two to aise me sowl and oill be on 
me way to me castle. 

“Why is it today 
So many say 

Their heart is heavy and sad? 

Is it the worry 

The fret and hurry 

That steals the spirit glad? 


34 


HERE AND THERE 


“The birds don’t sing 
With their joyful ring, 

And nowhere is there room 
For the things that cheer 
And hold life dear 

When the heart is filled with gloom. 

“ ’Tis not for me 
On life’s stormy sea 
To harbor the dreary side; 

But in all I do 

As I journey through 

Let all that’s good abide. 

“Old worry kills 
Beyond all pills 
When you let it be supreme. 

But the joy that’s felt 
When good is dealt 
Should be the master theme.*’ 


A MAX 


35 


chaptb:r IV. 

The Destination. 

After Ernest’s departure from the home 
of Judge Wilhelm he walked toward the 
depot to await the arrival of the train that 
would take him away from this venerable 
man and his fiancee. HJs mind was filled 
with sad thoughts, and his heart felt heavy 
but he must win and overcome everything 
for her that he loved, and the strength of 
manhood, and be a man, as he had prom- 
ised the Judge. 

His plans were not moulded so strongly 
as to what he fully expected to do, but 
what slight changes could be made, and 
not materially affect his hurried itenerary. 
He was satisfied his destination would be 
in the small city of Sunrise, just over 
enough in California, so that he could so 
state it, without any infringement upon the 
truth. He knew this much and he also 
knew his position of Civil Engineer in the 
draughting department of a proposed rail- 
road was assured whenever he reported for 
duty, this much was beyond any doubt, but 
the many details to get everything to con- 
form pleasantly and profitably were all to 


36 


HERE AND THERE 


be arranged and completed, but he spent no 
time in brooding along this line, he must 
first pacify that lonely feeling of going 
away so rapidly growing into homesickness, 
unless relieved and let other matters come 
as they may and be conquered when met. 

His mind was so occupied that the whis- 
tle of the train was heard before he was 
aware of its approach; picking up his suit 
case and putting under his arm the Bible 
which the Judge had presented him, he 
swung on the lower step and walked into 
the chair car and sat down in an unoccu- 
pied seat, ■ another short interval for the 
necessary ingress and egress of baggage 
and passengers and he was speeding away 
on his journey and leaving behind all the 
dearest things in Ife. As he allowed his 
mind to again wander beside the old elm 
and the nectar again was ready and drip- 
ping into his soul, and the pleasant memory 
of those few hours were surging for su- 
premacy in the rapid transpiring events of 
the past few days, his reverie was distract- 
ed by some one laughing boisterously be- 
hind him; turning around in his seat he 
heard the remarks, “See the young Sky 
Pilot and his spiritual encyclopedia wait- 
ing for patients.’' He knew at once the re- 
mark was made for his sole benefit as he 
still clasped the Word of God under his 
arm, to be sure of its safety. 


A MAN 


8T 


But to be certain that the remark was for 
him solely, he said, “I presume, gentlemen, 
you allude to me as the Sky Pilot, am I cor- 
rect ?” 

“You are the guy,” said one fellow whose 
breath had the odor of a country grave yard. 
“Yep, you are the geaser.” 

“Well, fellows,” said Ernest in a cool and 
amiable manner, “You do me a special hon- 
or by associating me with the ministry, in 
which I must state you are mistaken. This 
book here, this Bible is the holy word of 
God, and I am not ashamed to carry it in 
the open. It is the oldest book in our land, 
it has been read more than all the rest of the 
volumes put together, and it is quoted more 
than any other book in existence. I dare 
say that if I ask either of you three men 
that alluded to me shortly after I entered 
this car, to quote the first four words in 
this book, neither of you could. If I judge 
you wrongly I hasten to beg your pardon 
and forgiveness. Now kindly tell me the 
first four words in the book of — by the way, 
what is the first book in the Bible?” None 
of the trio could answer either of the ques- 
tions Ernest had asked. 

A crowd commenced to gather and Er- 
nest who was complacent of other’s feelings 
and not wishing to further embarrass them,, 
said, “Boys, this is what the Book of Gene- 
sis, which means beginning, says, “In the 


38 


HERE AND THERE 


beginning, God,’ here it is, look for your- 
selves.” None doubting his veracity he 
added, “If God was in the beginning, God 
will surely be in the ending, and if he is in 
beginning and at the ending he must be all 
through, and this gives import and strength 
that this Bible is God’s word and the truth.” 

“Now does the truth ever cause any 
unrighteousness, or anything to be 
ashamed of, then why should I feel dis- 
g^raced to carry this book conspicuously 
and let anyone know that it is the Bible and 
see it for themselves? Boys, do not ever 
ridicule the Bible, it is not only in bad taste, 
but it reflects on most mothers, who have 
and do read it, and by their prayers and 
their reading have helped to sustain and de- 
velop this great nation, by giving us the 
larger portion of our great men.” 

“You are right, my boy,” spoke several, 
in which all three of the boys could be 
heard to mildly assent. 

All through this discourse Ernest had 
heard the fretful cry of a restless baby in 
farther end of the car, and walking up that 
way, he said to the small, worn-out mother, 
“Let me try and see if I can console him, 
and you lie down and get some rest.” Such 
a look as the woman gave Ernest could 
only be compared to one that he had seen 
in Millie’s eyes, and he knew it spoke of the 
deepest admiration that lies in the sacred 


A MAN 


3& 

depths of the soul. “Oh, thanks for the kind- 
ness,” spoke the woman, “he has been so 
restless and irritable that he has almost 
worn me out, and still he will not sfo to 
sleep.” 

“Come here, you rascal,” said Ernest, as 
he picked him up and tossed him in the air, 
and chucked his little chin, “you come with 
me to my seat.” And playing and talking 
to him it was not long until he became 
pacified. 

Not watching him for a few seconds he 
grabbed the Bible and before Ernest could 
interfere with his intentions he had torn a 
leaf out. Everyone looked for the larger 
boy to rebuke the smaller, but instead Er- 
nest picked up the leaf and remarked, “It is 
only the page that tells of the travel of Jo- 
nah. and we all know anyway where he was 
the three days, so the loss is not irrepar- 
able.” 

This light sally pleased the crowd and 
they warmed to the boy and baby. Rock- 
ing the little hope of Presidency for a short 
time brought the long strived for results, 
and he soon fell fast asleep, and as he slept 
the tired mother slept and the act of kind- 
ness was appreciated by all. 

A nice, elderly-looking gentleman came 
and sat beside Ernest and engaging in con- 
versation asked Ernest where he was go- 
ing, and the boy, glad to have some one to 


40 


HERE AND THERE 


talk with, told of his destination, his hope- 
ful aspirations and the position awaiting 
him. His listener Was of the quiet kind who 
listens in rapt attention and sort of sounds 
the material that composes a good strong 
character and finally said to the boy, “I be- 
lieve I can be of some assistance to you, as 
I used to be a citizen of Sunrise some years 
ago, and was well acquainted with the peo- 
ple and I would advise and recommend 
while you stay there to domicile with ‘Ma’, 
she runs a boarding house and also keeps 
lodgers, and her place is unsurpassed for a 
clean, respectable, and highly efficient es- 
tablishment. I am well acquainted with 
her and you will find her one of the sweetest 
and dearest persons that you have ever met 
They all call her ‘Ma’ for her motherly in- 
terest in every one, not only those that are 
sheltered under her roof but every one she 
meets. She never complains, and I never 
heard her say an unkind word of anyone. 
Just as natural for her to love the whole 
community, 'with cats, dogs and tramps 
thrown in for good measure. Never saw an- 
other or ever heard of a character like ‘Ma.’ 
Just ask for ‘Ma’s’ place, my boy,” said the 
kindly man as he brushed aside a tear, “and 
anyone can direct you.” 

“Thank you, most heartily; I certainly 
appreciate the information, and nothing 
cheers so much as to have some one bearing 


A MAN 


41 


the characteristics of ‘Ma/ as you term her 
to help keep away morose thoughts when 
entering a new place with unfamiliar con- 
ditions and among strangers.” 

“That’s right, my boy, and you be sure 
and hunt up ‘Ma’ and be guided by that 
book under your arm, and I have no dread 
as to your future and its sucess. Good luck 
to you,” and the kindly man took leave. 

The hours finally yielded to the journey’s 
distance, and as the sun rose in the eastern 
sky, and the balmy, fragrant air drifted 
through the upraised windows of the car, 
the locomotive’s shrill whistle told of its 
advent into Sunrise. 

Picking up his grip with a firm clasp and 
gripping tightly under his arm the valued 
present from the Judge, Ernest stepped 
from the platform of the car and let his feet 
rest for the first time on California soil. Gaz- 
ing awhile at the new and pleasant sur- 
roundings and thinking it a little early to 
locate ‘Ma,’ he decided to place his grip and 
gift in the care of the baggage man and 
stroll through the town. 

The trees were wonderful for their con- 
tour, symmetry and size, and as he beheld 
their beauty his mind again went back to 
the old elm, and its sweet story of love and 
hop€. “I must win and be a MAN,” he med- 
itated. “I certainly must.” The palms and 
the orange trees waving gently in the pure 


42 


HERE AND THERE 


morning air whispered “Yes/’ And as 
each inhalation of the invigorating air 
coursed its way through his veins and filled 
his being with buoyancy and determination 
to carry out the full context to be a MAN. 
As he walked on and on looking at the signs 
and the mercantile houses, his eye rested 
for a moment on one that said “Saloon.” 

“Oh,” he gasped, “I had hoped you hell 
hole of iniquity would find no abode in such 
a lovely place, but never mind, you putrid, 
demoralizing curse, the red flag waving all 
over this country has your years numbered 
and inside the next decade the liberty my 
grandfather shed his blood for will be born 
again in another great liberty, when all 
mankind will be liberated from the tear- 
stained, heart-aching goad of intemperance. 
Do not forget here is one that will fight you, 
and God speed the day when your dirty 
sign will not be allowed to flaunt itself in 
the face of American people. I can’t help 
it,” he mused, “to eject vituperation on such 
a hellish business, and I am ashamed the 
land of the free and the home of the brave 
allows its continuance.” 

“I must hurry up and get some more fra- 
grance from those orange blossoms to kill 
that other stench. Guess I will go back and 
get my grip and Bible and hunt up ‘Ma.’ ” 

Coming along another thoroughfare fif- 
teen minutes later he met a pedestrian and 


A MAN 


43 


said, “My good friend, I beg your pardon, 
but could you direct me to ‘Ma’s’? A gen- 
tleman on the train informed me there lived 
here a most lovable woman known as ‘Ma,’ 
and I neglected to ask him her right name. 
So all I can ask you is if you know such a 
person as ‘Ma?’” 

“I do, sir, and I am proud to class her as 
a friend of mine, and for the life of me, I 
never heard but that name of ‘Ma,’ ever 
since I have known her. You go on this 
same highway for about another half mile 
and you will see a neat bungalow, painted 
in light brown, and alongside this bunga- 
low is a two story white lodging house sur- 
rounded by trees, palms and flowers. In- 
quire at either house for ‘Ma,^ and you will 
find a personage by that title and I will add 
you will never regret the acquaintance.” 

“Thank you, sir,’ Ernest said, and started 
to find ‘Ma.’ 

“Seems queer that she is termed ‘Ma’, I 
can easily fathom the term and its applica- 
tion to sweetness and all that is good and 
lovely in human character, but it is cer- 
tainly somewhat awkward to come into a 
strange place and start asking for ‘Ma’. 
Seems kind of peculiar, but I presume I will 
understand the term better when I am 
more accustomed to its application so here 
I go to find ‘Ma,’ and ‘Ma’ I will find.” 


44 


HERE AND THERE 


Walking up to the brown bungalow he 
rang the door bell, and as he waited the ar- 
rival of some inmate, he hurriedly gener- 
alled his etiquette so as not to be too abrupt 
or ill mannerly and blurt right out, “Is this 
‘Ma’? or ‘Ma’s’ place?” 

“Good morning,” a pleasant, motherly- 
looking woman said. “Can I be of any ser- 
vice to you?” “Yes, my good woman, you 
certainly can, and I beg a thousand pardons 
if I err, but have I the pleasure of addressing 
^Ma’?” 

“Yes, you have, my boy, and that s what 
they all call me- I have a very large fam- 
ily, not of my own but everybody else’s.” 

This aroused the boy’s humor enough to 
smile and he said, “I am a stranger here 
w'ithin a foreign land, as the song says, and 
I wish you would be like the Bible hen and 
take me under your custody and care, and 
I will endeavor to be another good child in 
your large family. All I ask is a trial and 
if I show any unruliness and become dis- 
obedient, I can in a short time pack my few 
belongings and decamp.” 

“All right,”^ said ‘Ma’, “I’ll take you on 
probation. I like the looks of your creden- 
tials, and especially the one under your 
arm. I have no hesitancy in telling you, I 
like the looks of your face and your frank 
manner sandwiched with some semi-hu- 


A MAN 


45 


morous remarks. Faces like yours are sort 
of like those deeds with the Warranty 
clause which reads in the covenant to war- 
rant and defend. You are welcome to the 
best I have. Come on in, and I will show 
you to your room.” 


46 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER V. 

The New Lawyer. 

When Torg Raymond stepped from the 
train, and viewed for the first time the Vil- 
lage of Rainbow, that was struggling so en- 
ergetically to become a city, and the old 
home of Ernest Landon, and the dwelling 
place of Pat, Millie, and the dear old Judge, 
he had no intention of staying longer than a 
fortnight, but after that duration of time had 
elapsed, he felt so much better physically as 
well as mentally, that he decided to prolong 
his stay without any definite plans when he 
would leave, if ever. 

He needed thorough and complete rest, 
and he concluded this would be a good place 
to commune with nature and let the poetical 
side of his nature have full sway until he re- 
gained his once good health, energy and com- 
posure. Although his vocation was that rec- 
ommended by the sage Blackstone, he was 
of the reticent and reluctant type, and never 
anxious to crowd himself forward. He was 
a slender, sensitive, meditative, deeply sensi- 
tive, sympathetic, honorable man. He pre- 
ferred solitude rather than boldness, but 
when aroused, his ability was a source of ad- 


A MAN 


4T 


miration and respect, and he could marvel- 
ously and with ease and grace take his place 
among the most gifted. His was the life that 
called for the simple and primeval, an>d he 
loved the leisure stroll, and this was the first 
thing he did when he arrived in Rainbow. 
Walking along, deeply occupied with studious 
thoughts, he heard two men quarreling and 
threatening each other. Both were strug- 
gling for the rpastership of their vocabulary 
for emphajtic adjectives of violent denuncia- 
tion and paying no respect to the Command- 
ments that forbid the takirig of a precious 
name in vain. 

Stepping close to them he said, “Gentle- 
men, I beg your pardon for intruding, and 
hope you will not think me impertinent, but 
it actually makes my heart ache to hear you. 
take in vain the name of a man who was a 
MAN, and gave his life for you and drank 
the cup of sorrow to its dregs that it might 
help to make men be manly. I realize that 
both of you are heated and angry from a con- 
troversy of some kind, but neverthelesc I am 
going to speak to you frankly aqd plainly, and 
I feel that you both will be sorry and regret 
the occurrence, and the vile epithets you have 
been so free in using. My profession is one 
that deals with the law and its strict observ- 
ance and enforcement. Giving to my pro- 
fession all the credence and respect due the 
calling, I say to Both of you in all candor 


HERE AND THERE 


4 « 

that you are law breakers, and I do not say 
this to be terse or ironical, but merely state 
it as a fact and leave it to your sense of honor 
and fairness as intelligent men to* judge the 
truth of my remarks. I allude to the foul and 
uncalled for utterances each of you ejected in 
your thoughtlessness in defaming the name of 
my Lord who created all three of us. Why 
do you men so flagrantly violate the Com- 
mandment that forbids you to take the name 
of God or Jesus in vain, with less ease than 
you break a statutory law? Do you think it 
will go unnoticed and you be held blameless 
for the infraction and transgression you com- 
mitted? First in the name of common sense, 
why did you use such profane language? Does 
the clearing of your systems through such 
measures put any premium on your manhood? 
You both know the indecency of your 
thoughts as you embellished them towards 
each other is not anything to feel proud over. 
What satisfaction do you glean from it, and 
where is there any reward to be expected? It 
is nothing else than an accusation where 
manhood is negligent to such an extent that 
you do not possess the sterling attributes that 
are found in an honorable man. When we 
speak that word “man” there is something 
contained therein to be set as a standard that 
surrounds purity, honesty, truth, courage, and 
all those excellent qualities that stand for a 
man that is a man. Take away any of those 


A MAN 


49 


qualities, and you rob the word of its merit. 
Cease your invectives against a character 
that was a MAN, and step out from under 
such illegitimate practice and stand for prin- 
ciple grounded in common sense. 

“Suppose in place of using oaths you use 
each other’s name every time instead? Would 
it not look and make you feel silly, and bring 
out more clearly the absurdity? Then why 
take his, and then show me any wisdom; why 
defame his any more than your own? Why 
villify him any more than yjourselves? I 
thank you. Gentlemen, be men.” 

This mild rebuke to the quarrelsome couple 
eased Torg’s mind; nor did he only find 
pleasure in it, but something else seemed to 
calm and rest him, something of a keen and 
enjoyable nature that he relished. It always 
comes with gt>od deeds fearlessly executed 
in the cause of right. 

Feeling deeply repaid for the part he had 
taken in the controversy, he sauntered on, 
and by accident he came to the old elm. As 
he sat under its welcome shade, he thought of 
his early life and his Lincolnian struggle with 
adversity. He smiled as he pondered in the 
archives of the past, and how he used to 
practice the art of orations to the trees, hay 
stacks, unused and forsaken caves and grave- 
stones. He nearly laughed outright when he 
thought of the gavestones and the extempore 
texts he used to hold them spellbound with. 


50 


HERE AND THERE 


While talks of this kind had broadened his 
mind, even though to inanimates, he could not 
but help think of the many discourses in the 
graveyards. The City of the Dead is rather 
a solemn place, and there was no fear of be- 
ing disturbed by applause or objections about 
any of the remarks he made, as it was sort of 
dealing with the dead languages to dead hear- 
ers. No leaves to rustle or disturb, and it 
could be truly said the pins dropping could 
be heard. Henry Clay, the peerless orator 
of his day, outside of the master mind of 
Daniel Webster, used to speak to the cows, 
but I have favored absolute silence, where 
there was no doubt or dread that any of the 
dead would take issue with what might be 
said. Some old cow might moo, and this 
would disturb the eloquence and disintegrate 
the loftiness and cause an Icarian fell. Many 
times the discourse was rendered at the grave 
of Hamilton — not Alexander Hamilton, the 
great financier of the war of the rebellion, but 
Ellsworth D. Hamilton, cashier of the First 
National Bank of J — , and undoubtedly of 
the same lineage. 

The only fear was that some hungry offi- 
cial, looking for fees, might make an arrest on 
the grounds of insanity, and endeavor to 
prove the contention by reason of the address 
being given in a place of solitude, where peo- 
ple are finally expected to get rest from their 
fellow man. But like Henry Clay, his mind 


A MAN 


61 


developed and no disgrace could be attached 
to the peculiar temperament and the unusual 
places where the oratory was delivered and 
polished. Under this old elm would be a 
good place for an oration, and some day I 
may come out here, old fellow, and pour out 
a senatorial discourse on the temperance 
question or some other burning issue of the 
day; perhaps I may take a text from The 
Holy Writ, but not today, old fellow, as I 
cannot command enough energy to enter- 
tain you properly, and I think I will go back 
to the village, and look up Judge Wilhelm. 
If I recollect correctly he is located here. 
So good-bye, old fellow, till we meet again.” 

On his way back he hailed a man riding a 
mule and said, “I beg your pardon, my good 
friend, I am a stranger here, and I thought 
perhaps you could impart the information I 
desire.” 

“Would be more than pleased to, sir; at 
your pleasure, sir.” 

“Do you know if there resides here a man 
commonly called Judge Wilhelm?” 

“I do, sir, and he is a man, and one I am 
proud to know, an upright, conscientious, 
God-fearing man.” 

“Something unusual for a Judge to pos- 
sess all those sterling qualities, is it not?” 
asked Torg. 

“Very unusual sir; extraordinary so, very 
much so,” said the man, then as the mule 


52 


HERE AKD THERE 


brayed, and a rasping, resonant bray it was, 
too, as if to say, “I am from Missouri.” 

“Well, thank you, my kind friend, for the 
information, and a pleasant good day to you.* 

Knocking at the door of the Judge’s 
house soon brought a quick response by his 
honor answering in person. 

“Good evening, sir; walk in and be seated, 
please.’* 

“Thank you, sir,” said Torg, “you do me a 
great favor to be so hospitable, not knowing 
whether I might be a horse thief or a real es- 
tate man.” 

“No fear,*' said the Judge, as he smiled, “I 
would almost wager my long experience with 
human nature that your conscience has not 
a troubled thought over anything you ever 
misappropriated for self gain, and I’ll judge 
your veracity by your reply, and I feel it will 
be 'No.’ Am I right?” 

“You are, sir, and I thank you,** replied 
Torg. 

“I do not often misjudge a clean, open face 
like you carry ; but excuse me, I may be tak- 
ing time from you that may have been your 
wish to employ otherwise.’* 

“Not in the least, sir. I am here in the in- 
terest of my health, and my name is Torg 
Raymond, and a lawyer by profession, from 
the City of Blairsdare back in one of the east- 
ern states.’* 


A MAN 


53 


“Well, I am indeed glad to meet you, 
doubly so for the reason the city you named 
is my old home, and the profession you are 
engaged in. I hope we will be good friends 
and meeft often during your stay. Well, 
well, how glad I am to hear you are from 
Blairsdare. I must ask you how some of my 
old friends are getting along, and the judge 
named many whom he recalled with pleas- 
ure. 

“All getting along nicely,*’ said Torg. 

“Very glad to hear a good report of them, 
and we must rehearse this same topic 
again some time, and now tell me some- 
thing concerning yourself, if T am not pre- 
sumptuous in my query?” 

“Not in the least, your honor, and there 
is not much to tell that would be education- 
al ; just that of an average lawyer, first the 
struggle for the parchment, then the anxiety 
to get in the fray and deal out a clean, hon- 
orable profession that I can look back to 
from any stage in life, without any ting of 
shame that I took a client’s money dishon- 
estly, or antagonized and encouraged liti- 
gation when there was no merit in the as- 
sumption at issue. That I guess is about 
my brief, your honor, and the substance of 
my career, and I rest.” 

“Shake hands,” said the Judge, “I wish 
more were like you, and the profession 
would be like it should be and some of the 


54 


HERE AND THERE 


jurik we have could be relegated to the rail- 
roads as day laborers, farm hands, and in 
a good many other departments where they 
belong. Better for everybody to have a 
good section hand than a 'cMt on the bias’ 
lawyer. Too bad to rob labor of its just de- 
serts and get nothing in return. But the 
good and the bad must go together, I pre- 
sume, and we will have to bear it. I hope 
you decide to stay here indefinitely and be- 
come a permanent fixture or resident 
rather. I know you will like the place and 
it certainly will be a pleasure to me to have 
you do so. I somehow feel, and I have no 
substantiated reason to offer why I have 
such a feeling, but I have, and I earnestly 
believe that there is some great work for 
you to perform and carry out, and it will 
fall to you to execute.” 

“Sort of a fortune-teller, are you. Judge, 
or a telepathic reader in the shadows cast- 
ing ahead?” 

“No, I have no skill at all in the weird or 
uncanny, but just what is termed a hunch, 
and I base my prophecy entirely on it, and 
not such a bad thing to be guided by some- 
times- I hope time will prove the correct- 
ness of my assumption and be a satisfaction 
to both of us.” 

“If it does, your Honor, no one will, feel the 
gratification more beamingly and endeavor 
to act in a manner wholly within a demeanor 


A MAN 


55 


of Straightforward principles than myself. 
My worldly goods so far in life are not of 
such magnitude to arouse jealousy or envy 
in the heart of anyone, and the path so far 
is straight enough to see the starting point, 
and while it has been a pretty rough one 
that has caused many a hard fall, I have been 
never injured or incapacitated so severe- 
ly but what I could assert my manhood to 
get up and try again. It’s a great path to 
follow. Judge, and allows you the blessing 
of peaceful sleep and care free from insom- 
nia, with no fear that anything will tor- 
ment your thought and make you tremble 
and toss, wherein you feel something say- 
ing ‘go and give back that which you have 
taken wrongfully away.’ Great thing to 
sleep well Judge.” 

“Fine, fine,” said the Judge, “nothing 
equal to it.” 

“Well, your Honor, I have certainly en- 
joyed the visit with you, and will not fur- 
ther trespass upon your time, so I will bid 
you good day, and hope we will both sleep 
well,” he said, as he looked at the Judge 
with twinkling eye. 

“A fine man,” mused the Judge, as his 
well-trained eye watched him walk away. 


56 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER VL 
A Meeting of Profit. 

The Judge arose early the next morning, 
and after a refreshing bath that put a pre- 
mium on his vitality, he concluded to take 
an early morning stroll, when all nature 
was quiet, and restful. As he walked 
along briskly to absorb the very best nature 
had in store, he expanded his chest to its 
fullest capacity and inhaled sweeping 
draughts of the great elixir of life. As his 
eye wandered towards the eastern sky, he 
beheld the tip edge of the rising sun, and 
stopped in awe at this phenomenal daily oc- 
currence. “Wonderful, most wonderful,” he 
exclaimed as he watched it rise to its fullest 
beauty and grandeur. “How beautiful and 
quiet God starts out the day, giving us the 
same comparison as he starts out our lives 
in the same way, pure, sweet and whole- 
some. I love the mornings,” he exclaimed 
again, almost audibly. “They seem so close 
to my Creator, so exhilarating in fascination, 
bounding in all that is beautiful, clear and 
invigorating air and so calm in gentleness, 
love and kindness. God surely did his part 
in the great plan of perfection, but how 


A MAN 


57 


negligent has been man in doing his. No 
greater lesson ever expounded in the pin- 
nacle of thought than he puts before us every 
morning, in starting a sinful world with 
a daily lesson of rugged purity. As the day 
advances like the man from childhood, sin 
and deceit creep in. We wander away, look 
for pleasure, stray into paths of wickedness, 
sell our souls, and contaminate righteous- 
ness, but if we would only stop and look, na- 
ture gives her great lesson again the next 
morning, and has continued to do so since 
the dawn of creation, every 25 hours. I be- 
lieve if men would take advantage of this 
privilege of observing the sun rise from its 
first warning beams until it envelops the 
heavens with its myriad colors, and then 
wait until the angels awakened the b rds 
with their sweet songs of enchanting music, 
we could not have the brazen audacity to 
violate the law of our beneficent Creator as 
we do.” 

“Well, yer Honor, are ye not up a little 
airly?” 

“Why, good morning, Pat? I had no idea 
you were anywhere around, and I presumed 
at this early hour I would have this por- 
tion of creation all to myself.” 

“Not so, me good mon,” responded Pat. 
“I was filled with this same presuming, 
whin I beholds the swate form of yerself.” 

“Well, there’s plenty for both of us, and 


68 


HERE AND THERE 


to Spare, as the song goes and I only wish 
more would witness the hour when the 
Master of Creation unlocks the door be- 
tween darknes.s and dawn/^ 

'^Bedad ther’s thray of us inyway, and the 
ither one is a mile below us and closer to 
the kay than aither of us.” 

“You surprise me, Pat, who could it be?” 

“Oh, tis that new fellow that dropped in 
shortly that I take to be ingaged in the law 
loike yerself but at the ither ind of the she- 
lala.” 

“Oh, you must mean my new friend, Mr. 
Raymond. How came you to know so 
much and so quickly?” 

“Oh, thim that have eyes and airs do be 
knowing sometimes. I had the plisure of 
hearing his first case the day past whin he 
disclaimed two spalpeens coorsing and swa- 
hering and tareing the language to paces, 
and I was plased to hear him sphare no sar- 
casm in rebuking theifr ungintilmanly man- 
ners. Bedad, one of them was me coun- 
trymun and fared an uphavel and I fale to 
understand what kipt the blude in him so 
cool. For ivery minute I was looking for 
something from me counthry mun, but be- 
dad, I am glad he used such good sinse 
that hilped him and mesilf for all the time 
I sthood bahind the tra wid me Oirish fist 
doobled ridy to hilp out the young mon in 
case of urgint nacissity-” 


A MAN 


59 


'‘Well, Pat,” said the Judge, “I am glad 
it all terminated so nicely. Pll tell you what 
just occurred to me. Why not you slip 
over to Millie’s home and tell her to expect 
some company this evening, and I will get 
word to Mr Raymond and we will have a 
social, and I hope an enjoyable evening.” 

“Just the thing, yer Honor, I’ll arrange 
me ind of the ixpictid plisure and let noth- 
ing come forninst ye to pravint your ind 
from shlipping.” 

“All right, Pat,” said the Judge, “every- 
one at Millie’s at 8 o’clock sharp.” 

“Yis,” said Pat,” sharper than me ould 
razor.” 

Promptly at the hour the three men, 
Torg, Pat and the Judge stepped upon the 
broad and welcome porch of Millie’s home. 

“Come right in,” said Millie, and without 
a second invitation, in they strode. The 
Judge made the necessary introduction to 
Mr. Raymond and by adding a few pleasant 
and humorous remarks made each and all 
of them feel like old friends. His Honor 
never lacked in having and using the happy 
faculty of getting people to feel free and 
friendly on short notice and could always 
put to rout a chilly atmosphere that so 
many allow to freeze and mature into thick 
ice. 

“Well, Millie,” said the Judge, “we need 
just one more individual to make our group 


60 


HERE AND THERE 


complete/’ and a light smile played around 
his kindly eyes. The color rose and flooded 
her cheeks, but she soon gained her usual 
composure and said jokingly, ‘T have won- 
dered for a long time Judge Wilhelm, what 
calls or attracts you so often to the home 
of a certain widow.” 

The quick repartee at the Judge’s ex- 
pense brought forth much laughter aryl a 
hearty peal from the man from Erin. Noth- 
ing, however, ever disturbed the Judge, 
and as he knew the sally was unfounded, 
he gave Millie credit for her flash of wit 
and spoke again in another vein. 

'‘Gentlemen and our esteemed hostess, 
you are probably wondering at this peculiar 
and informal meeting and why wc are here. 
The reason is this, I have in my nature a 
deep longing to occasionally lay aside the 
Judicial ermine and the heavy responsibili- 
tes that go with it and be a boy again and 
flirt with youth, or try to. I not only hope 
but I expect our association here this eve- 
ning will be a profitable one and cement 
our friendship more strongly than the most 
skilled workman has ever dared to do. 1 
expect much profit to all and stronger 
friendships that will last as long as we live.” 

“Why, Judge,” said Millie that is impos- 
sible.” 

“ ’Tis that,” said Pat.” 


A MAN 


61 


“What do you think Mr. Raymond,” 
asked the Judge? 

“Well, your honor, I am at a loss to say 
precisely, but I think the idea you want to 
convey clearly and impressively is, or may 
be this: You are a great genius in judging 
characters and I daresay your decisions to 
some extent are based upon years of study 
and careful thought and close scrutiny from 
the position you occupy and you have de- 
veloped so acutely that trait, that whoever 
you put implicit confidence in and trust, 
you would go clear to the edge and reach 
over the yawning precipice to save, you are 
so confident when you make a selection that 
you would almost sufifer death in proving 
to yourself that imposed confidence was not 
misplaced. Your face alone shows that you 
abhor deceit and falsehood and while you 
painfully regret to punish a traitor, and the 
wound heals slowly and inflicts excruciat- 
ing pain upon yourself, you have that deep- 
ly implicit faith in those whom you think 
are worthy, that no man in this village or 
in any other place would go farther to reach 
down the helping hand than your most 
worthy self. Your character is of the type 
that stands out clear and beautiful like the 
shining star of old, that led the wise men to 
the manger of the sleeping babe of Bethle- 
hem, I beg your pardon your Honor, but I 
base my remarks from your life-long 


62 


HERE AND THERE 


friends back in Blairsdale, and where is 
there a greater asset to be gained in this 
life than friends?” 

When Torg sat down he noticed a pain- 
ful silence. Millie was using her handker- 
chief freely, tears of gratitude stood in the 
Judge’s eyes, and Pat had a look that 
seemed far enough away to penetrate the 
bogs of Ireland. The judge must reply to 
such a touching tribute. 

“You have well said about friends, Mr. 
Raymond, and I must try and say some- 
thing in return to partly pay for the sterl- 
ing but probably undeserved eulogy you 
attributed to me. I have had many true 
and loyal frierMs, both in the East, this 
place here, and among many places where 
I hold sessions of Court, but I have none 
that ever surpassed the friendship of Miss 
Millie’s parents and the loyalty of my friend 
Pat, as it has been my improper mode of 
addressing him. I have been an extensive 
traveler in my time and I have met all kinds 
and classes of people, rich, poor, men of 
State, day laborers, and every type of citi- 
zenry, but I want to pay this tribute to the 
race Pat represents, a race quick o resent, 
unsurpassed in intellect, when so desired, 
gifted in wit, staunch and true in friend- 
ship, polished in etiquette, and when you 
speak of tender sympathy, deeply rooted, 
pulsing with threaded sincerity you’ll find 


A MAN 


63 > 


it enwrapped in the heart of an honorable 
Irishman.” 

“Bedad, Millie,” said Pat, “that's the sec- 
ond aconium and compliment I have 
racaived in me loife toime, once whin I was 
a homely baby, me mither called me hand- 
some, and this one from the Judge. Your 
honor I am not intitled to the praise ye; 
gave me, and ye touch me sowl dapely, and 
if ivir one man loved anithir 'tis yersilf that; 
I have that faleing for. I do be wishing 
that I had such a hoult on the worruds as 
yerself and Mr. Raymond, I would indivor 
to make ye shid tears loike girruls with am 
apology for prisint ladies. But I fale I 
haven't the eddecation to pour out me 
thoughts in the choice figures of spache that 
some of me counthry mun possiss. Me^ 
good and tindir ould Mither that's in hivin,. 
if tiny woman is, could nayther rade or 
write, and me honorable father slapeing 
these past twilve years was a Section Fore- 
mun in wistirn Nebraskay in its Indiaini 
days, and whativir Pve bin able to learun: 
has come from the unchisild rock of ad- 
versity and me observation and aptitude to 
stale from ithers whinivir I could, but 
thanks to me parints, whativir me head has 
lost me heart has gained, and I don't be- 
lave I have an inimy I know of, and that I 
wouldn't forgive the sivinty toimes, if I 
knew who it was. I've indivored to rade me. 


‘64 


HERE AND THERE 


t>oible and though me moind is uncultured, 
I can tale me troubles to him that knows 
and understands and somehow even be 
with me uncouthness understands me as 
1 am, and gives to me the pace he does to 
^all, that sake him/’ 

When Pat sat down, Millie felt she must 
say something to partially reimburse for 
what she had received, and she said, “I do 
not think I was ever touched with sadness 
as deeply as I have been this evening lis- 
tening to the splendid remarks that have 
been made, and nothing I can say will in 
anyway be a compensation for what I have 
received. I know upright lives ; which I 
know all about like Judge Wilhelm’s and 
Mr. Brannigan’s have had a peculiar elevat- 
ing and uplifting, beneficial effect upon 
mine. Association with honorable people 
inculcates the choicest to the choicest, and 
while one may not have that quality as 
deeply developed as others the stronger 
reaches down to the weaker, and brings the 
lesser up to the more uniform standard by 
imparting from the one what the other is 
deficient in. This to some extent is true in 
Tny case, and I say it with much pleasure 
that the honorable lives of these two men 
that are MEN have been instrumental in 
"helping me to reach for that which is pure 
and honorable, I hope in time I can also say 


A MAN 


65 


this of Mr. Raymond, and somehow I know 
I can.’* 

Millie ceased and the Judge said, “Pat 
could you conclude the meeting with some 
suitable poem, one of your own?” 

“Yes do, Pat,” said Millie, and she slipped 
out to bring in some light refreshments 
while Pat reconnoitered. 

“Bedad I have only one poem in moind, 
and it may not fit the occassion snugly, 
howivir ’twill aise me sowl, so here ye have 
it.” 


“Rush him away to his burial place 
Lower him under the sod. 

Crank up the Auto with hurried pace 
Leave him alone with his God. 

“This is the day of rush and go 
Haven’t no time you say, 

To tarry awhile with him in woe 
Wait ’till some other day. 

“Can’t lose the time to stop and chat 
All I can spare is Hello, 

It’s hurry, hurry, for this or that 
With language of Yes or No.” 

“Pretty true, Pat,” said the Judge.” 
“Very much so,” added Torg. 

“What induced you to formulate of that 
sort,” said Millie, as she invited all to s’t 
by and partake of her preparations. 


66 


HERE AND THERE 


“Saw a poor divil going to his grave in 
an Automayble Hearse/^ responded the son 
of Erin. 

/Kter the light viands had been dispensed 
with, and each had warmly thanked the 
hostess, and wished her good evening the 
trio departed. 


CHAPTER VII. 


Ernest and Ma. 

When Ernest had unpacked his few belong- 
ings and arranged them to suit his taste he 
came across a motto in the bottom of his grip. 
“Wonder what this is I have brought with me, 
Oh now I remember, it’s the one that thought- 
ful Irishman gave me and while it is pretty 
plain language, I am going to hang it on the 
wall to sort of remember Pat.” And fitting 
his words to action he found an inviting loca- 
tion and placed it on the wall. Going to the 
farther side of the room to note the effect he 
read, “Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
Exodus 20:14, Christ added an a^- * 
pendage to that Commandment when 
he said, ‘But I say unto you, that 
"wdiosoever looketh on a woman to 
lust hath committed adultery with her already 
in his heart.’ Pretty plain statements, but 
what people need in these days, when lust and 
licentiousness is so rampant and women arc 
held so cheaply. It is the truth, however, and 
it should never hurt anyone, the Command- 
ments are certainly wise and rigid laws. Thou 
shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh- 
bor is another splendid Commandment and it 


68 


HERE AND THERE 


should be hung in about all the women organ- 
izations, Ladies* Aid societies and such to sort 
of protect any wandering from the subject 
at hand. Well, anyway, come what will, 
Pat’s motto hangs in this room as long as 
I do,” and he went in search of fuel for the 
physical man. 

'‘Get all settled, did you?” asked Ma. 

“Yes very nicely, thank you,” responded the 
boy. 

“Do not forget,’* said Ma, “to make your- 
self at home and in any way I can be of assist- 
ance to you, do not be backward in taking 
advantage of what my sobriquet implies.” 

“Well, thank you,’* smiled the boy, “I appre- 
ciate the comfort that must be imbedded in 
such a warm invitation from the kindness in 
your face without any appellation to the 
splendid homey feeling that your name 
suggests.” 

After a good breakfast, heartily relished, he 
started out to take up the work that had called 
him. Passing along the street he inhaled that 
stench that the United States Government pro- 
tects and allows to thrive in the land of the 
free, and he somehow dreaded to go on, but 
the evil was along his path and much as he 
despised it he must suffer its existence. In- 
haling a full breath to get as little of it as 
possible he quickened his pace to get by and 
then exhale on the other side. 

His thought was so occupied he hardly 


A MAN 


noticed a nice, comely, well-dressed girl com- 
ing in the opposite direction, and as he 
stepped to one side and allowed her to pass, 
a staggering red- faced man reeling under the 
influence this licensed Governmental pro- 
tected institution sold, espied the woman and 
muttered drunkenly a vulgar, foul and inde- 
cent remark that Ernest could not fail to hear.. 
With his manhood on fire he swung a terrific, 
well-aimed blow that sent the degraded 
wretch full length upon the solid, unsympa- 
thetic cement pavement. 

He stood waiting the man’s ascent, and as 
the fellow struggled up partly sobered, Ernest 
said, “You foul, unmannerly, degraded brute, 
if you haven’t any children of your own, or 
sisters, you had a mother. How would you 
like to hear some one impart the epithet about 
your mother that you remarked about this girL 
would you allow it? Have some respect, and 
the same respect for somebody else’s 
mother, sister or daughter, as if they were 
yours. I am sorry I struck you so hard, but 
the vinification was nauseating and you de- 
served it, nevertheless, I am ready to shake 
hands with you and if I can be of any help 
to you in any way, I am at our service, now,, 
or any other time.” 

To the surprise of the boy and the crowds, 
the man stepped up and shook his hand cor- 
dially and said, “my boy, you were right, 
doubly so ; I had a mother, one among mil- 


70 


HERE AND THERE 


lions, and I would strike any mian 
that said ill of her, and shed the 
last drop of blood in my worthless 
veins to protect her honor, and you gave 
me fully what I deserved and I apologize to 
you and would like to do the same to the 
lady I disgraced. It is not in my heart to 
say aught against any one, but when I get 
that damnable poison in me, I lose the man- 
hood my mother taught me, and I get wild 
and crazy, I do not mean to and God knows 
I do not, but one drink of that hellish poison 
and I am powerless tp stop, and I go on until 
I wallow in the mire worse than a hog. O, 
to God that I could abstain and get free from 
the curse, I would be a MAN and use all the 
faculties that God has given me to help sup- 
press and eliminate the damnable curse to the 
dregs of hell where it belongs.” 

^‘My friend,” said the boy, am most 
heartily sorry for you, but this God you just 
mentioned, did you ever ask him to help you, 
did you ever get down on your knees and tell 
him all about your trouble and ask him to re 
lease you from its hold and help and strength- 
en you to lead an upright, honorable life, 
and walk in the path of righteousness, he is 
ready and waiting to help you, just as he 
does me or anybody and everybody.” 

‘"No,” said the sorrowful and fallen man, 
have not in over ten years, but if you can 


A MAN 


71 


lielp me to get back to him, I am ready right 
now, to try.” 

‘'All right,” said the boy, “let us kneel right 
here and tell him the whole story, I will pray 
first and then you pray.” 

They both knelt :n front of the saloon with 
its stench and filth and as the pleadings of 
the boy’s petition ascended to the throne of 
grace to assist this wayward son, and restore 
his manhood, many a head was uncovered 
and bowed, that shortly before had cursed 
this same being, and when the boy had fin- 
ished and the man commenced his supplica- 
tion, there was an awe and respect that 
touched many a heart. The man prayed earn- 
estly, pleadingly and then tearfully, and when 
he arose a new light shone in his eyes, his face 
beamed and sparkled, and they all knew that 
Christ had been there in front of that saloon, 
and that to comfort and bless. No sneers 
were given to either on account of their ac- 
tions, as any MAN and every MAN that ap- 
preciates MANhood are not slow in showing 
it, and they shook the hand of Ernest warmly 
and wished their fellow reveler God speed. 

As Ernest walked away he happened to look 
back, and he saw man after man walk up 
and shake hands with the man he had struck, 
and he thought perhaps he might have been 
too impulsive, but something within him 
seemed to tell him he had done right. Going 
to his work in the railroad office he took up 


72 


HERE AND THERE 


the day’s work, and his mind became ocdupied 
with the duties before him. Getting a few 
moments respite he dashed down a few notes 
to later innorporato into his weekly letter ta 
Millie, which he never missed attending to 
for the next three years. Finishing the rou- 
tine of the day’s work he turned his steps 
towards the home of the consoling Ma. 

As the evening meal was being relished 
amidst witticisms and repartee, both of which 
“Ma” overflowed with, a young lady across 
the table remarked, “have I the honor of ad- 
dessing the gentleman who defended me so 
gallantly and so manly this morning, if I 
have, I wish to thank you beyond words of 
expression.” 

“Oh, said Ernest, “you refer to the episode 
in front of the saloon, do you?” 

“Yes sir, I do.” 

“Well, I declare, said Ernest, “you owe me 
no congratulations and I am pleased to meet 
you, and also pleased if I had the pleasure of 
rendering you a service which is due all 
women.” 

As they continued their conversation a 
knock was heard at the door, and “Ma,” who 
always wore her hospitality on her bare fore- 
arm, said, “come in please,” and in stepped 
the man who had caused the young lady’s 
initative remarks to Ernest. 

“I beg your pardon, each and all of you, 
for my intrusion, but I heard the lady whom 


A MAN 


73 


I Spoke so vulgarly about this morning is 
here, and I want to beg her pardon, and 
apologize for my unbecoming conduct.” 

“Granted,'* spoke the lady, “and I am ready 
to shake your hand, for I can tell by your 
attitude there are the ear marks of a gentle- 
man about you, when you are your real self.” 

“Thank you. Madam, and you too, sir, for 
restoring my dormant respectability of my 
MANhood,” and he was gone. 

“Well, I declare,” exclaimed “Ma,** “I was 
at a loss to place him at first, he looks so neat 
and is dressed so tastily, but it is no other 
than Rockwell Barclay, one of the most in- 
telligent men in these parts, and a most splen- 
did man until the authorities licensed that 
dirty saloon, poor man, he has not drawn a 
sober breath for ten years, no wonder he sank 
to the threshold of hell, but I am so glad, 
Ernest, that you saved him before he reached 
to raise the latch, and brought nim back to 
Jesus and decency. He used to lead the pray- 
er meetings, was Sunday School Superinten- 
dent and occasionally filled the pulpit when 
the regular Pastor was absent. It did not 
seem possible he could fall, but he did, some 
say his wife was the cause and it killed her, 
poor soul she is dead for the past five years, 
and though she is gone, I cannot help but 
think she was largely to blame, he could not 
go anywhere, even to the house of God, with- 
out her suspicioning his motives, and doubt- 


74 


HERE AND THERE 


ing and ridiculing his sincerity, until his very 
soul cried in frantic semi-ctazed torment and 
he fell, he of course, should not have allowed 
this, but let any Xvoman keep up a continual 
tirade and tantalizing for a span of twenty 
years and the patience of a saint, \fith Job’s 
thrown in as good measure couldn’t forbear it. 
Most men are destined to hell, but of times 
it is the women that drive them there.” 

“Well, I declare, ‘Ma,’ said Ernest, “you 
are in the wrong vocation, you should have 
been a lecturer on higher standards for mar- 
ried women, I believe you could do a vast 
amount of good, and while the subject at 
hand is foreign to me on account of my youth 
and single blessedness I can appreciate your 
position in the matter and I am inclined to 
think your oration covers sound logic and a 
vast amount of truth.” 

“Sometime Ernest, said ‘Ma,* “I will tell 
you of another type of woman. I love 
women, because I am one I suppose, but not- 
withstanding that fact there are some pretty 
narrow, small, disgusting women, and I don’t 
refer either to women who have trespassed 
upon the holiness of virtue that has debased 
them; but the type I refer to is the kind that 
can smile when everything is serene and beau- 
tiful and the DOLLARS are rolling in abun- 
dantly, but when the opposite comes along 
and the man rasps his faculties against ad- 
versity until they become numbed and dull 


A MAN 


i 


75 


by the insurmountable problems, and then let 
some narrow, insignificant whelp of a woman 
keep ejecting her slime and filth about his re- 
sources, complaining of immodern conveni- 
ences, lack of ambition and all such vitupera- 
tions, and let her keep continually harping it 
for ten years, when the MAN is the honest, 
honorable and decent Christain kind, and 
what is the natural result to expect. Would 
it not tear the heart loose in a stone man to 
flaunt continually such unwomanly poison and 
everlasting condemnations? I honestly believe 
the Lord will have some retribution for the 
man in hell who would have succeeded, had 
his wife been sensible enough to have had 
some forbearance and of Christian fortitude 
when her husband carried a load heavy 
enough to stagger an ox. I have not much 
sympathy Ernest, for this kind of woman. I 
think they need some kind of radical treat- 
ment to replenish what they are lacking in. 
1 pray to God that you will be spared that 
kind of a help mate, that would be a mis- 
nomer, for a life partner. My goodness I 
have talked so long that it will take an extra 
bar of soap to get the grease from the cold 
dishes,’’ and “Ma” hurried to her third and 
last pleasure of the day ? 


76 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER VIII. 

The Disturber. 

Summer had passed and Autumn was ap- 
proaching, Nature had almost finished with 
her dress of green and commenced to don 
her yellow one. All her children were pre- 
paring for the coming of winter. The trees 
had cast aside their luxuriant foliage, the 
flowers ceased to bloom, the birds of song 
no longer warbled their melodies of cheer, 
and repose and quietude were taking the place 
of the ambitious summertime. 

One day when nothing unusual was hap- 
pening and the people were remarking about 
the lack of Metropolitan life, a fine, gorgeous 
automobile of the most exquisite type and 
design came leisurely purring into Rainbow. 
Heads peered from the windows and excla- 
mations of surprise could be heard from 
everywhere. Surely the possessor of such a 
magnificent car must be one of fabulous 
wealth and culture. Sitting languidly at the 
wheel was a well dressed man, prosperous 
looking, commanding in appearance and 
graceful in movement. 

Nothing could have stirred the populace 
more than this and the stranger’s mission and 


A MAN 


77 


'exceptionally the mission part of the man’s 
-advent. 

As the sight became (yie of daily occurance 
and the stranger lingered from month to 
month and seemed to have no vital interest 
for anyone or anything connected with the 
community’s welfare, comment became less 
and finally dwindled into oblivion. The 
stranger paid very little attention to anyone 
and sought no companionship; but seemed 
wholly satisfied with the comfort afforded 
by his elegant auto. He took long rides in 
and around the surrounding country and 
came in slowly each evening void of the de- 
sire to fracture any of the speed laws gov- 
erned by the Municipal Ordinances, conjec- 
ture was abandoned as to who he was or 
what his advent concealed. Month after 
month went by without the revealing of the 
stranger’s name except to the all wise three. 
Mystery seemed to shroud everything con- 
nected with his present and past, and to learn 
anything about him was seemingly impossi- 
ble, as he appeared reticent, distant, but very 
courteous whenever addressed, paid all his 
obligations promptly and never lacked for 
money, and dealt it out sparingly for every- 
thing but clothes. Every day found him at- 
tired in the latest fashion, well tailored gar- 
ments, some said he must have over a hun- 
dred different suits of the highest art of the 


78 


HERE AND THERE 


fashion shops, and a small amount of envy 
burned in the hearts of the less fortunate. 

One day the Judg^e was going after his 
mail, when he met Pat coming from the oppo- 
site direction. 

“Top of the morning, yer Honor, and the 
rist of the day to meself.” 

“Good morning, Pat,'' said the Judge, 
heedless of the remark that Pat had made in 
taking the lion’s share of the day’s pleasure, 
“how are you this morning?” 

“Nivir filt bether or had liss,” said Pat. 

Just then the stranger went by in his ex- 
pensive turnout, and Pat remarked. 

“Judge, could ye inform me who the 
schroundel is in the big divil of runiation, 
and what he might be doing in these parts 
with a $5,000 kar, whin the best we have is 
Hinry’s.” “I think Pat, I might be able ta 
enlighten you some. Step closer and listen 
intently, as I will talk low to you as I do not 
wish to be overheard, and will trust you and 
ask that you guard well my confidence until 
I see fit to release you from the obligation.” 

“Indade, I will, me frind.” 

“Very good,” continued the Judge, “I 
know who he is, and I knew him the first 
time I had the opportunity to see him. He 
no longer recognizes me, as it is over twenty 
years since I last saw him and have passed 
out of his recollection, and he does not know 
that I live here and I doubt very much if he 


A MAN 


7 ^ 


remembers my name. His name is an as- 
sumed one and pretends to be known as Har- 
old Richwald, he is here for no good, morally, 
spiritually or financially, observe him closely 
and critically without allowing him to surmise 
your intentions, and let me know what you 
would incorporate in his horoscope. If I 
could get the proof to what I know concern- 
ing him he would not be enjoying the ease 
and comfort that he does, and that which 
rightfully belongs to some one else. I pray 
the day will come when the matter can be 
rightfully adjusted and may the good Lord 
let me live to see that pleasure, not that I 
glory in his punishment, but for the sake of 
justice that he has betrayed and abused and 
the funds he has misappropriated and belong 
elsewhere.’’ 

“Bedad, yer Honor, yer judgment of him 
coinshides most illigintly with moine.” 

“Pat, I wish you to do this,” said tho 
Judge. “You notice he goes out that East 
road past Millie’s every morning, and what 
I wish is this, say two or three times a week 
you walk out that way and appear as you 
were just strolling along for the sake of your 
health, and take plenty of time so as not to 
arouse any suspicion, and. keep it up for a 
long time until Richwald becomes accus- 
tomed with seeing you, and whenever you 
learn anything of importance make it your 
duty to inform me. Do this for me Pat, and 


80 


HERE AND THERE 


some day the badly tangled affair can be un- 
ravelled, and some one very high in your 
•esteem may be benefited and regain what 
should be his. I charge you Pat with this 
request, can and will you do it?” 

“Rade yer answer in me oies, and slape in 
pace, oill de me part and git the ividence, and 
ye can boost the pinilty.” 

“Good for you Pat,” and the Judge de- 
parted. 

Pat was at a loss to understand why the 
Judge had such a bitter dislike for Richwald, 
unless it was about something in the distant 
past which the Judge was familiar with and 
undoubtedly to the detriment of this mysteri- 
ous Richwald, anyway Pat meditated “I will 
bank on the Judge and endeavor to unravel 
some puzzling circumstance that his Honor 
wishes to clarify and adjust.” 

True to his promise Pat sauntered along 
the road that ran to Millie’s for months and 
months, until they numbered 1-2-3 4 

still nothing of a tangible form developed to 
give him the slightest clue concening Rich- 
wald. Time after time the big automobile 
and its occupant whizzed slowly by and not 
even noticed the determined Irishman, but 
rather considered him as a part of the scenery 
;and a permanent fixture like the trees that 
lined the Boulevard. Pat whetted his tenacity 
and became so determined to win that he con- 
'duded to take this walk for his health the 


A MAN 


81 


remaining portion of his life time or until 
Richwald left. On one occasion he met Torg 
who said, “I see you have been spending 
much of your time as a pedestrian along this 
highway, and I presume you are searching 
for a lost mine by the way your eyes hug the 
gound. ‘‘Stip behoind that tra till that gaso- 
lane stink goes by, and don’t show yer hid 
undher the pinilty of dith.” Torg did as re- 
quested and the auto passed and was soon 
lost in the distance. 

‘Tat, my good friend, do you know the 
fixture at the seeting wheel?’’ 

“No, Torg, I have not that displisure and 
may I ba shooting the same load at ye, do ye 
know him?” 

“Well not intimately Pat, but I hope to 
know him better and I think I will if Justice 
will make these parts her dwelling place.” 

“Shure, that’s a quare remark, ’tis yerself 
and the Judge — ” he got no farther; the 
scrutinizing look on Torg’s face fascinated 
and bewildered even Pat, but he finally said, 
“Don’t thry the case yit, Mr. Raymond, and 
lave me to firrit out whativir I can fasten me 
hoult upon, and ye kape at a sacludid distance 
whinivir ye are in these parts at this toime 
of the day.” 

‘T understand you Pat, most thoroughly, 
but continue to be discreet, very cautious and 
extremely painstaking and forbear the same 
indifference as the fellow in the car, and I 


82 


HERE AND THERE 


believe the reward will come. Good luck to 
you, and mountains of patience.’* 

“Quare, Quare,” mumbled the Irishman, 
’tis meself that would like to know what great 
mystarious misthery Torg and the Judge 
same to know concarning this quare bala- 
j a rent auto mon. I fale bet wane the intalict 
of Wilhelm’s and Raymond’s there is a mu- 
tual knowlidge of some shady worruk done 
by this Richwald that both of thim know 
about, but are short on the ividince that would 
convict the schroundel, which I ba thinking 
he must shurely ba contaminated with.” 

Next morning found Pat at the same job, 
and as he kept searching for the delusive 
gold as Torg had mentioned. “Oill be crowd- 
ing the days closer togithir,” he muttered, 
‘‘and thry me loock at me laytle game of 
san witching thim differently from inyone but 
meself could understand, and it moight mix 
the divil so that whin he didn’t axpict me I’d 
be there.” And still there was no result from 
the change of tactics that Pat had so studi- 
ously adopted. “Tacks, bedad, and shmall 
nails,’’ ruminated Pat on his homeward jour- 
ney. 

The next day Pat heard a loud explosion, 
and the big car halted close to where the son 
of Erin stood, and with the social requisite 
specialized by his race said, “She’s a howly 
tirror for nise whin she’s bilious, bedad she 
is.” 


A MAN 


83 


A light smile twinkled for an instant on 
the stranger’s face and then as quickly died 
out. 

‘"My good man, could you tell me the name 
of the lady that lives farther down the road.” 

‘‘Shut off that divil of ruination, and I may 
be able to,” said Pat. 

“That's betther,” said Pat, as he studied the 
face of the other. “She’s a divil to bilch 
whin she fales the alcyhol laving her stom- 
ach.” 

“I beg your pardon, sir, but I asked the 
name of the lady living yonder.” 

“Oh, yes sir, ye did sir, I ricolict now ye 
did, and shure enough ye do me a great serv- 
ive by ashking a favor of such intilligince.” 
The stranger looked at Pat, and Pat returned 
the gaze from his clear eyes of Irish blue. 
He looked searchingly and was finally satis- 
fied that he had fathomed into the other’s 
character to his own gratification and in the 
way he had wished to test him, and said, “the 
lady’s name is Millie Sommers and the swat- 
est crayture outsoide of downthrodden Oire- 
land, bad luck to the mon that overstips the 
laytetude of a gintilmon in his tratemint of 
her, I’ll bate his hid ’till it looks loike that 
woindliss tire or me name’s not Brannigan,” 
and then he added the story about the mill- 
stone. 

“Oh, I see,” said the other as he patched 
the tire and pumped in the air, “your sweet- 


84 


HERE AND THERE 


heart/* ‘‘No/* said Pat, “not me swateheart, 
but the swateheart of a sweatheart that is a 
jinuine swateheart.** This did not meet the 
approval of the other, and the sunshine that 
had commenced to melt some of the frost in 
his nature chilled again, and nothing more 
was said by either. Pat, however watched 
the other closely and the more he obseved the 
farther away stalked his opinion towards the 
Judge’s when he uttered the one word, rascal. 

In a few minutes Richwald stepped into 
his car, touched the self-starter and away 
went the machine. As the dust cleared away 
Pat turned his steps towards Rainbow and 
he locked his opinion in a remote part of .his 
brain, until a suitable time when he could 
disclose to the Judge his progress as a sleuth, 
and the type of a man he had judged this 
Richwald to be, however, he took the same 
walk and kept up a continued search for the 
hidden and delusive wealth Torg had casually 
referred to, and had so impressed itself upon 
his mind that it might perhaps be gold 
that contained a value, and through a pro- 
diguous search he may become the discoverer 
and satisfy himself, the Judge, and Torg, and 
gain a reward that would aid the Judge to 
unravel the mystery, so he continued the 
search. 


A MAN 


85 


CHAPTER IX. 

The Elm’s Approval. 

As Torg arose early in the morning from 
a sweet repose, he almost audibly uttered, ‘T 
believe I will go out to the old elm and re- 
lieve myself of that promise of extempora- 
neous exhortation that I promised the old 
fellow a long time ago , and never have felt 
like delivering until this morning.” 

A brisk walk of an hour’s duration took 
him to where the elm stood. He bared his 
head under its benign influence of sweetness 
and purity for a long time. 

The hour was early and the sun had just 
risen above the eastern horizon. He chose 
the morning in preference to any portion ol 
the day for he felt as the Judge, that early 
morning was nearer the Adamic plan on ac- 
count of the stillness and beauty that clusters 
aroud the beautiful mornings. Turning his 
head in the direction of the great orbit that 
was fast spreading its golden beauty 
throughout all the heavens, and inhaling to 
the fullest measure the pure and fresh air of 
this country-side place, he made an exquis- 
ite bow to the imagined assemblage and pro-^ 


86 


HERE AND THERE 


ceeded to rob Demosthenes of the honor he 
had received when he made his famous ora- 
tion for the Crown, the undying luster of the 
Gettysburg address of the beloved Abraham 
Lincoln and the unparalleled and unex- 
celled rebuke of Daniel Webster’s reply to 
the haughty Hayne. “I will take for my sub- 
ject one in accordance with this beautiful 
sunrise, that teaches the great lesson of per- 
fection within itself and will term it the per- 
fect man. Nothing created by the Master 
Workman lacks in perfection or contains 
more exemplary qualities than his works that 
lie puts before us each day of our lives, as il- 
lustrations of the highest perfection for uS 
to consider and follow as true and lofty stan- 
dards. Everything created by him being of 
this lofty and flawless type, the sun, moon, 
stars, vegetation and all other things he also 
carried the plan farther and initiated in the 
divine plan and brought forth the perfect 
man and called him Jesus, the Ideal Man of 
all time. Jesus was the Perfect Man from 
His birth in the manger to the cross on Cal- 
vary. The narrow path He trod upon which 
the search light of truth has shone for over 
1900 years, is still the only route that reach- 
es heaven. Christ the Perfect Man came 
into this world and lived among us that we 
might have the essence of his purity to guide 
and direct us, that we might glean that a 
righteous life could be lived among all the 


A MAN 


87 


scoff, ridicule, censure, rebuke and tempta- 
tion that could be designed in a sin-cursed 
world. The shedding of his holy blood was 
necessary for all men’s redemption, and if 
man fails to take advantage of this privilege 
and live as perfectly, he is the loser and no 
responsibility rests upon Jesus for his neg- 
lect, as Jesus fulfilled his part and did all he 
could through a life of self-denial and sacri- 
fice that erring man could profit by. 

“Not only was Jesus a Perfect Man but 
he carried this standard and advocated it in 
all things to an extent that never has been 
equalled or surpassed, his trite and concise 
sayings are unanswerable and stand uoon 
the pinnacle of knowledge never reached by 
any other. All the finest educational insti- 
tutions that have ever existed or will ever 
exist can never equal a man with the pro- 
found knowledge of the lowly man of Galilee. 
What have we as an inducement through 
his life to make us better, what great funda- 
mental principle did he give us that would 
promote the highest standard of spiritual 
life? It was in the great theme of love. 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.* If 
we follow this eleventh commandment, hea- 
ven would come down to earth and this uni- 
verse would be par excellence. Greed, avarice 
and monopoly would cease to exist, and every 
man would have his equal rights and the 
tramp and the millionaire would meet on 


88 


HERE AND THERE 


equal ground. Capital and labor would shake 
hands and all would have their per capita 
and never be in want or distress. Brewer- 
ies and saloons would cease to exist and the 
high cost of foodstuffs and clothes no longer 
be a nightmare. Style and class distinction 
would be eliminated almost beyond the ne- 
cessity of even the fig leaf costume of Eve 
the mother of fashion. Purity of thought 
would overcome and eradicate all evil and 
there would be no sin. That would be heav- 
en in the concrete and as God planned it. 

“This condition could be if all men were 
the kind of Christians God intended they 
should be and not Christians for ungotten 
gains. Shame on the man that is so low 
and sneaking and vile of heart to cover up 
his six days under one day’s religion. May 
the Lord touch his heart and soul before he 
goes to the place of unrest and torment un- 
der his false banner. Burn the eleveth com- 
mandment upon the skies of Heaven that 
this type of man can see it before it is too 
late. 

“What could bring this world to the feet 
of Jesus and cleanse it, but the honest pray« 
er, and if all men would assume the attitude 
of earnest prayer and pray ardently for this 
condition to come, it would. For He says: 
‘Ask and ye shall receive.’ No room for 
doubt as to the fullest meaning of that con- 
text and passage to cause any parley. ‘Shall’ 


A MAN 


89 * 


it says, and not ‘perhaps.’ Then why pray 
‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on 
earth as it is in heaven/ and then get up from 
our knees and go out in the world and forget 
it? Alas, forget it, and all of it, when the last 
word forever was uttered? While we men 
at times think we are of no account and our 
life has been futile and nothing but disap- 
pointment and not worth the effort, we can 
be men and workmen not ashamed. We can 
do much to help each other to higher stand- 
ards by relieving some of the pains in life to 
those less fortunate than ourselves, and 
through assisting others we are the gainers 
and possessors of the greatest things in life 
and those approved of God. Every kindness 
or act of helpfulness than any man is instru- 
metal in fulfilling does not escape the watch- 
ful eye of the Master, and his rewards for 
such come openly. 

“Then there is another phase of the per- 
fect man and what he can do and will do if 
he assumes the retrospective and that is let 
Jesus come into our business, no matter 
what it may be, he can improve it. And why 
be ashamed to have him in business with 
us when all things he embodies is that 
which uplifts and surrounds perfection and 
all the glorious attributes that cluster around 
it. Why should we not reach for this that 
puts a premium on everything beneficial and 
good? Take Him in as your pamer and 


90 


HERE AND THERE 


what should you expect from the associa- 
tion that would stand out in clear bold let- 
ters, “The Lord has an interest in this busi- 
ness, and holds and safeguards the combina- 
tion to the safe and the lives herein en- 
gaged/ Come let us reason together and 
permeate the topic further and see what 
we can find. Perfection purifies and per- 
meates as the opposite components allow it. 
If this opposite combats and continually ne- 
glects any recognition, the disregard forces 
a complete anihilation and each factor goes 
to its own level, but if the lesser allows con- 
tamination from the greater until the two 
segregate, then the powerful magnetic force 
of the stronger improves the weaker with a 
firmer element of enhancing worth which 
causes a stronger attachment that uplifts the 
other, and as the aggressive is sought by the 
element contained in the profound the two 
forces of good and evil will seek their re- 
spective levels and one or the other must 
dominate. One representing righteousness 
from the perfect man and the other sin from 
the unrighteous man. The work of one to 
build up improves, moralizes and increases 
and the other to tear down, weaken and de- 
stroy. Put the two in their relative places 
and the magnet of good draws its just por- 
tion, if so desired and uproots every false 
standard advocated by the one less powerful 
and absorbs steadily on the minutest particle 


A MAN 


91 


of good by the forces of good and takes its 
proper place and becomes better until it fits 
into the accustomed and natural intention 
of its author and where it rightfully belongs. 
This is the natural condition to expect and 
to assume from any standpoint of principle 
fundamentaly enjoined. 

“The great trouble with most of us is, that 
we look too narrowly for the elements that 
cluster around an undebatable standard and 
seek to improve an already perfect condition 
from our own estimation of what we think it 
should be and what we consider as superior 
to the one already beyond any enhancement 
from mortal man. Whenever we drift along 
in our strength and tamper with an endeavor 
to improve something already beyond us we 
are inviting the coarsest kind of failure, and 
failure it will be in the most aggressive 
form. 

“The sooner we rertiove this unsound kind 
of reasoning the more rapid will be our ad- 
vancement, and the more we will enjoy the 
real fruition that comes from the Master- 
Mind whose logic and plan has stood the 
test of all time, and proved a universal pan- 
acea for every weakness of the human race. 

“In conclusion, beloved elm, let us take 
the side that sears the heart-aches when the 
battle has been loyally fought, and the red 
blood of righteousness heroically shed in the 
gory path of its maintenance, drips from the 


“92 


HERE AND THERE 


lacerations that come from the thoughtless 
scoff and ridicule of our ungrateful fellow- 
men. 

“There are times in life, and more espe- 
cially in the mature years when one looks 
back over the past and takes an inventory. 
Some find nothing to be ashamed of and the 
enjoyment is gratifying that they lived well, 
others met obstacles, and all along the nar- 
row path they endeavored to follow, they 
can see where the jagged rocks pierced their 
flesh, here and there they stumbled and al- 
most fell, but they kept on and on. Win 
awhile and then lose, here a taste of pros- 
perity, there a swallow of disappointment, 
l)Ut never wavering from the essence of the 
teachings of the Perfect Man to carry them 
through, but all along wishing for a little 
respite to bind the wounds that sometimes 
become so painful in the seemingly endless 
conflict. 

“Old age looms up like a mountain of ten 
billion rattle snakes curled in an impreg- 
nable hissing mass, with their venomous 
fangs ready to strike and poison. No way 
to get around them without losing all that 
has been gained, no chance to get over or 
under, you must face them and go through 
with the undying hope of the aid of the help 
of the Perfect Man to eradicate the poison 
and not allow it to course through your veins 
in your weakened condition and strip you of 


A MAN 


93 


the portion of righteousness you acquired at 
the maximum price. Come on, Christian 
warrior, come on. Ten years, perhaps twenty, 
and the journey is completed. Come on, 
come on, you lose miserably from a financial 
computation, you didn’t have enough in the 
bank to draw a full breath or to help you 
along. You can’t leave anything to your 
children but your untarnished name, arid all 
you got out of that old sin and sordid world 
was a back bent from the heavy burdens, un- 
told heart aches, sleepless nights of anxiety, 
and crushed expectations, no wonder you 
are stooped asd weary, no wonder the scars 
show from the poverty and hardships you 
encountered, but you didn’t fail, you walked 
in the narrow way, you were a pupil with 
undying faith in the Perfect Man. There is 
the end, just a few steps more, one more ef- 
fort for your poor aching limbs and then 
your reward. ‘Oh, God, give me strength, 
just a little more. Lord,’ I hear him say, and 
.he makes one more terrific struggle and falls 
at the feet of Jesus, a penniless, ragged fail- 
ure. But, ah, look, as the angels gather 
around him and lovingly raise his aching 
body and bear him on to glory. See that 
smile on his face, something behind that 
smile that tells the story, something done 
that pleased the Master and causes that glow 
of extreme satisfaction. ‘Yes,’ Jesus said, 
‘You lived clean, you did all you could for 


94 


HERE AND THERE 


your children, you are not wealthy but you 
left a heritage beyond all comparison; you 
lived square and your record is grand ; your 
account is paid in full, come in and let me 
show it to you. Come on Christian warrior, 
come on. Ah see, they are mourning for you 
down there; see the tears falling as they 
pass your casket, that means something; ah,, 
see them brush aside the lock of hair to get 
a fuller view of your face, and see there are 
people in all walks of life there; were not 
those in that corner there crying as if hearts 
could not be cooled, your neighbors, that 
means something; look at the mountains of 
flowers around your casket, that tells of an 
unspotted love, and mean something. See 
that old lady with the wrinkled face there, 
she kissed your hand, that means something. 
See the tramps, the wanderers of fortune 
and note their sadness, they did not forget 
when they were hungry that you shared 
with them ; and see as the great concourse 
of people are wending their way to the si- 
lent city following your remains, that means 
something and extraordinary, as most peo- 
ple leave after the short services at the home 
but not in your case, and your whole life 
was a lesson of love, and somehow the re- 
ward comes after we are gone. I had a bit- 
ter struggle down there in that sinful world 
but I left a good record, and I did my best 
not to plant a thorn in any man's bosom. I 


A MAN 


I - » 


05 


Spent my whole existence in endeavoring to 
love and help them and then they crucified 
me nailed me to the cross, spit in my face, 
scoffed me and thrust a spear in my side, 
and left me alone dying on the cross at Cal- 
vary and not a hand to wipe away the blood 
as it coursed down my tortured limbs, cry- 
ing with the agony as it dripped upon the 
ground, ‘Shame, shame, shame/ But old 
Christian warrior, there is no pain here. 
Come and let me show you the mansion I 
told you about, and the one I promised you. 
Come on and see what you have gained from 
walking in that path of righteousness, when 
every step you took was like stepping on 
the upturned edge of a knife of grief and dis- 
appointment. Come and live in eternal 
peace and joy.* Adieu, old elm,** said Torg. 
‘Good-by with your many secrets.** 


HERE AND THERE 


Cl 


CHAPTER X. 

Garnished Craftiness. 

Richwald fresh from a bath, neat and at- 
tractively attired in perfect dress, leisurely* 
strolled to his elegant machine, opened the 
side door, sat down at the steeringwheel, 
and exercised his flabby muscles by touch- 
ing different conveniences here and there, 
until the modern mechanism responded with 
lifelike reverberations and slipped into dis- 
tance. He took the same course as he had 
been travelling for some time and headed 
towards the home of Millie. He had been 
'watching in vain for an opportunity to get 
to speak to her, but up to the present, no 
such reward had favored him, his mind had 
been energetic to fathom some plan to meet 
her, but all the plausible schemes that had 
been brought forth from his fertile mind 
were one and then another cast aside, and 
an additional search in the recesses of his 
active brain were urgently necessary for the 
fulfillment of his desires. 

He finally adopted the old ruse of asking 
for a drink of water, an unintelligent erst- 
while one that every wayfarer had worn 


A MAN 


07 


theadbare for ages past but anything old or 
not, to win. Guiding his car under the shade 
of the spreading locust trees he alighted 
and strode towards the inviting home of the 
desired occupant with all the ease and grace 
of a well-trained society man. His entreaty 
was listened to and his was not a sordid 
mind and viewed her welcome presence he 
noted her many first glance attainments, 
perfection of physique, clearness of almost 
satiny countenance, eyes of sparkling bril- 
liancy and everything connected in the master 
art of proficiency and beauty, that arouses 
admiration and respect. 

As he hurredly took this mental inventory 
his suaveness of manner, and the instinct of 
carrying out the gentlemanly attributes for 
expected reward, he said “I beg your pardon 
madam, but the call of nature for a cool and 
refreshing draught of sparkling water is 
keenly necessary to alleviate a burning thirst, 
and the beauty of these surroundings that 
speak so fluently of everything choice and 
pure must most certainly have clustered 
within their portals the cherished nectar 
urgently necessary to longevity and exist- 
ence of downtrodden man. May I prevail 
upon you the great pleasure of receiving a 
cupful of this important factor that I may 
exist a few hours longer?’’ 

‘‘Certainly, sir,” said Millie, “just take a 
chair while I get you a drink of God’s great 


98 


HERE AND THERE 


beverage/^ and as she handed him the water 
she watched him searchingly as he drank it. 

“Thank you for the kindness, nothing com- 
pares to a cool and refreshing drink of water 
when one is nearly famished.” 

“No indeed there is not,’* she replied, 
“when taken as God intended, in its purity, 
there are no headaches, ill effects or sor- 
rows.” 

“Well, you are a student of philosophy,” 
he said. *‘No I am not,” she reiterated, 
“an observer is all.” 

“I see you use the pen some too, I presume 
a writer bringing forth some great book for 
the uplifting of a fallen race.” “No indeed 
not, such herculean efforts are left to stu- 
dents that engross their minds along such 
lines, I just finished my weekly letter to Mr. 
Landon,” she said, and could she but noticed 
a quick, startled look play momentarily upon 
his face as she mentioned the name of Lan- 
don and had made some remark to have 
drawn him out, or a curtness to his placid 
affability all might have ended there, but she 
did not and as the disturbing element from 
long practise was soon cast aside, she went 
unconcerned on, “Mr. Landon is out west 
seeking his fortune and I must be the home 
newspaper and advise him of all our local 
happenings.” “Well, indeed I must say you 
have a happy, and I presume an enjoyable 
mission to fulfill. I hope if you will pardon 


A MAN 


my enthusiasm; allow me to be the fast mail 
that takes the correspondence to and fro, I 
assure you of rapid and safe transit, and 
furthermore a great pleasure to serve and 
partially repay for the sparkling glass of 
water/* 

“Well/* she said, “you are very kind and 
thoughtful to offer your services, but if any 
of these letters should be miscarried, it were 
better for you a millstone,** and then both 
laughed. 

“No danger in the least and could I in- 
fringe again upon your kindness for another 
portion of that sorrowful cup?*’ “Most cer- 
tainly,** and she left the room for another 
glass of water. 

As her footsteps died away, he slipped 
over to the upturned leaves and scanned 
hurriedly to the last page, “ever your faith- 
ful, loving, true and waiting Mrs. L. Millie.’* 

“How can I thank you for saving my life,** 
he said? 

“Oh, by crrying the mail for revenue only,** 
she laughingly said. “With an added pro- 
vision,** he remarked, “a verbal oath for safe 
delivery from mail to female.** “All right,*’ 
she exclaimed, “remember the millstone pen- 
alty/’ as a parting rejoinder before the 
drowning chugging of the big car. 

Every week the mail was promptly re- 
ceived and delivered under the binding con- 
tract. Time, as it has always done, slipped 


100 


HERE AND THERE 


along until a friendship sprang up and the 
contract enforced and the binding portion 
became slightly weakened. Association 
breeds familiarity, and the latter sometimes 
contempt, and it was not long before he car- 
ried both the mail and the female. The let- 
ters from the West kept arriving and his 
fertile brain was deeply embossed to get one 
of these and devour the contents as he crav- 
ingly desired, but as yet he could not dis- 
respect property rights and gain his veneered 
intentions without a loss that was too early 
to anticipate. Long rides became a daily 
pleasure to both and as they sped along the 
ccountry roads with its many ecstacies of de- 
light he brought from his inmost nature all 
the winning personalities he could master and 
kept the raw and deceitful part well hidden 
in the dark background. 

The many rides and his seemingly acts of 
favor were so adroitly executed that Millie 
never suspicioned anything but pleasurable 
companionship and pastime. As he spun 
the web of craftiness that enmeshed his vic- 
tim he became more attentive and spurred 
his polite nature to the very dome of comrade- 
ship. The day he spent in pleasure and the 
night in cunning thinking, he wanted to prove 
his affections conclusively, overthrow his wes- 
tern contemporary, win Millie as his life part- 
ner and slip away under the shadows of night 
to distant parts, and live in luxury, content- 


A MAN 


101 


ment and ease. He did his part exceedingly 
well and mused contentedly that life is sweety 
and especially so when his subtle mind was 
carrying him serenely to the desired goal. He 
must proceed cautiously but surely and let 
nothing interfere to mar his happiness. Would 
he dare to ask Millie for her hand and to take 
the chance of his being defeated and then re- 
habilitate through his dramatic persuasive 
powers or let his cunning nature have its way 
and take another course where blunt refusal 
would almost be impossible. He chose the 
latter and Millie's rides to the Post Office 
ceased, but lengthened through the country. 
Why not open this letter from the west and 
ascertain its connection with the one slyly 
read the first day at Millie's home? “Yes/' he 
said almost audibly, “nothing ventured, noth- 
ing won.” 

His heart burned with jealousy as he read 
the outpouring of manly love from the distant 
bethrothed and trusted and waited for the 
day to come when kind and beneficent Provi- 
dence would add its blessing. “Goodbye, my 
soul companion, and dearest love, write more 
and more." 

Richwald could not stand the adoration of 
the concluding part, and he venomously threw 
the letter to threads and thoughtlessly threw 
it to the winds in his heat of anger and sped 
on to ease his wrath. 

“No letter today?" Millie asked anxiously. 


102 


HERE AND THERE 


^‘None there/' he said, “first time that has 
hten missed yet. Probably come tomorrow. 
Yours ready to take back?” 

“Yes," she said slowly and sadly, “dont 
fail tomorrow or out comes the millstone.” 

“No need,” he responded, “two tomorrow. 
Fare thee well.” And he was gone again. 

“Hope I may never see such a crestfallen 
countenance again, but the game is on,” and 
he pondered and schemed all the way but for- 
got to mail the letter of Millie's. “Wish I 
had not thrown away that other letter ; I must 
pick up the tom parts tomorrow and leave no 
incriminating evidence like that, especially of 
such a prima facia variety.” 

But the morrow never returned them a Ight 
wind in the night carried them to safety he 
pleasantly meditated. Trovidence is doubly 
kind.” 

Millie was almost distracted with grief as 
the weeks ran into months and no letter from 
Ernest reached her. Richwald soothed and 
comforted her with all the ardor in his double 
nature and always looked towards tomorrow 
to bring the letter and recompense for those 
in arrears. Several times she was on the point 
of calling upon the Judge or Pat and giving 
vent to her bitter grief and ask counsel and 
advice, but Richwald’s watchful eye kept her 
busily occupied, riding and conversing until he 
was master and dictator, his suaveness and 
clandestine balm allayed her distress and be- 


A MAN 


103 


came the greater magnetic force controlling 
the lesser one. He yearned and longed 
for the hour’s arrival when he might pursue 
the climax and depend upon his hidden re- 
sources and tact to carry him safely through. 
He gauged the conditions patiently until he 
thought the hour at hand and casually re- 
marked, "‘It seems evident your western 
friend has lost his early affection and you are 
no longer the object of his desire which 
proves the old adage, ‘Out of sight, out of 
mind.’ I never believed that maxim carried any 
truth of a reliable nature, but as we live and 
learn. Time teaches us all things and prove* 
them beyond any doubt. I had certainly 
hoped and trusted this would not happen, but 
as the sage has said, ‘Truth is a golden gem; 
let it go where it may whether it sinks into the 
quicksands of earth or be bom by the aerial 
flight of an eagle, it is a rare jewel.’ We must 
acknowledge the truth when it appears so viv- 
idly. He probably has a greater attraction 
where he sojourns, and has forgotten you. 
‘Man, the gay deceiver,’ always eighty per 
cent strong. Begone such trash that relish de- 
ception.” 

This remark aroused the smouldering fire 
as he had anticipated and Millie said, “If I 
dared to think his love untrue. I would haunt 
him to the grave and torment his soul through 
all eternity.” 


104 


HERE AND THERE 


“Looks like he did such an unworthy act, 
repugnant and disgraceful, does it not?” 

“Well, yes it does. The coward. And espe- 
cially when I have written him regularly as I 
promised and received no reply for ever so 
long.^’ 

He winced under the accusation and thought 
of the voluminous correspondence between the 
two he had read and destroyed when the shades 
of night covered his dark dealings and only 
He above watched and knew. He soon eradi- 
cated this twinge of conscience with stronger 
honeyed ellucidations and pressed his desire 
fearlessly and convincingly. Down he went 
on his knees with the agility of a domesticated 
feline and plead his cause ardently, pleadingly 
and persuasively. Long he dwelt upon his 
love for her. The disgust he harbored for de- 
crepit veracity and the great desire to be her 
slave. Wealth would be hers, travel, ease and 
comfort, a palatial mansion abroad where 
fancy might choose and a retinue of servants 
to do her bidding. He longed for her love 
to flow to him and say ‘yes,’ as he fully ex- 
pected. But careful rearing would not be de- 
feated and welcome the unsatisfied passion- 
ate appeal. 

“I cannot fully believe,” she said, “Ernest 
would betray me for the fairest or sweetest 
maiden in all the land. I will wait six months 


A MAN 


105 


longer, and then, if he does not fulfill his part 
of the contract, I will be ready to answer your 
question and in the afifirmative, perhaps/' 

He was an apt student of human nature 
and acquiesced. He knew he could increase 
and arouse a more volcanic eruption by pa- 
tience and fire her more rebellious spirit, 
and she would become disheartened as also 
might Ernest. So he let Patience have her 
way until he could firmly convince her and 
win her as the prize. Nothing more was said 
until the probation period elapsed and on the 
minute it took flight he was pleading again 
with all the force and verbosity he was able 
to conceive. Hour after hour he poured out 
his undying love, his loyalty and wealth until 
he completely exhausted the encyclopedia sur- 
rounding the theme that burned within him. 
He would not abstain a refusal but plead and 
replead until he finally succeeded in 
wringing from her the erstwhile word 
of three letters. “At your pleasure, 
now and forever, world without end, 
and ’till death do us part; your slave,” 
on and on he went on this old theme with the 
triumph of victory pacifying all other emo- 
tions. “When shall we bid adieu to this rat’s 
nest of civilization and go out into the big 
world bubbling with activity and unite our 
troth, in the grandest church in little old New 
York?” 


106 


HERE AND THERE 


‘‘Not until the sun has risen and set many 
days/' she said, “and not until I am 
thoroughly and beyond the reason of the 
smallest doubt, and fully satisfied that is 
what we should do,” she said. “None yet 
sir,” she said,“none, not one,'* as he advanced 
towards her with outstretched arms. “Not 
until the little episode transpires in the small 
place you just spoke of.^’ 

“Very well,” he replied, partially satisfied, 
“not 'till then.'* 

“Not 'till then,”she calmly but firmly said. 


A MAN 


107 


CHAPTER XL 

Beneath the Shadows. 

When the news spread that Judge Wil- 
helm was seriously ill, all the people in 
Rainbow, irrespective of creeds, class or 
distinction, bowed their heads in common 
grief. The Judge was that type of man that 
lived so close to the Ten Commandments 
that the master workman had designed a 
heart within him as tender as a child’s. 

He was a God-fearing man in his life as 
well as his judicial duties, and wore his re- 
ligion exp osed so that any one could par- 
take of it quickly,, and without any fear 
that there was none to spare, for he had 
and he used it to the end. 

He did so many Christian acts that a vol- 
ume of untold pages would fail to chronicle 
them all, and at every available chance he 
sowed the seed, and it grew and reseeded 
and regrew until vast harvests of good 
were accomplished . 

His position of being Judge did not be- 
fog his brain to the extent that he could 
not mingle with the common people. He 
had the tact hinged with good common 


108 


HERE AND THERE 


sense of making the tramp or one more 
prosperous feel perfectly free in his pres- 
ence, and many a night when tired from 
some intricate technical law point, that 
was bothering him, and he was searching 
through the different reports for a parallel 
case, would lay it aside and listen to some 
heavy burden an aching heart was laboring 
with, and help to unravel some plan where- 
by the perplexing difficulty might be over- 
come, either through advice, sympathy 
and encouragement, or the drawing apart 
of his purse strings. The people looked to 
him as their counsellor and true friend and 
he occupied both with credit. His judicial 
decisions were not of the kind that underlie 
the hidden desire to win more votes, but 
rather to be true and fair and let the deci- 
sion rest entirely in the hands of his con- 
stituents. He was not ashamed when open- 
ing Court to go down on his knees and ask 
divine wisdom and guidance. Some people 
did not approve of this attitude in this re- 
spect and position but they never allowed 
themselves to censure, as they loved the 
man, and were appreciative to show it when 
the Judge prayed. He once said to an 
Eastern lawyer who was surprised to hear 
him praying, that he thought the Lord 
Jesus Christ was just as necessary in the 
court room as in the pulpit, and if his Lord 
was not worthy to guide him through his 


A MAN 


109 


Court decisions, he was not worthy in any- 
thing else. 

take my Lord at his word,” he went 
on, ‘‘when he said, ‘Lo, I am with you al- 
ways; ask what ye will and I will give it 
unto you,’ and so I do, you see, and I do not 
know the innumerable times when I felt 
exasperated and completely baflFled, how to 
decide a troublesome case, and I would re- 
view the testimony and the points of law at 
issue and endeavor to fathom the puzzling 
intricacies at issue ; and then when I 
opened Court with prayer before a crowded 
court room of people and asked my Master 
to direct me, I could feel something re- 
freshing, and my mind would clarify and I 
no longer dreaded the task before me; 
why, my good friend, there is nothing to be 
ashamed of, nor any disgrace connected 
with an impulse imbedded in honest mo- 
tives, and by being willing to call upon him 
when in need, and not allow embarrassing 
conditions to be supreme, the reward will 
be openly as the Lord promised.” 

As this dear friend of all classes tossed in 
delirious fever, everyone became engrossed 
with an intense and acute interest rind 
called daily to inquire as to his condition, 
and when informed there was no noticeable 
change a look of intense pain could be seen 
as it overspread their countenances. Day 
after day sped by and still he lingered in a 


110 


HERE AND THERE 


semi-comatose condition. Gloom settled 
upon the inhabitants of Rainbow as if some 
terrible calamity had swept over it. Peo- 
ple gathered in groups with sad faces, and 
hoped and prayed that the life of this good 
MAN would be spared, as it seemed his 
life could not be spared, where would ach- 
ing hearts go for solace, where would the 
unfortunates get advice and comfort, and 
where would the needy worthy or unworthy 
get financial aid without him? No, he could 
not be spared, but how could they help 
him? 

Pat had just come from his daily visit at 
his home, and as he walked slowly with 
bowed head and tearful eyes, people dreaded 
the worst but all asked, 'How is he?’* 

“No better,” he said, with tremulous voice. 
And all seemed to sigh in deep sympathy 
and distress. Pat suddenly stopped where a 
large crowd had congregated and said, “Me 
frinds, I belave this and I know ye fale the 
same. Me heart is tareing looes insoide me 
and unlis I can aise it in some manner it will 
burst with grafe. Tin minutes from whir I 
be standing is half the paple of Rainbow 
waiting to hear if the Judge is better. If all of 
ye will go with me, I will take the tin min- 
utes walk and say a word of prayer to the 
grate Physician and ask him to hale the 
Judge. Come on, me frinds.’* And they went. 
Ministers, bankers, polticians, tramps, labor- 


A MAN 


111 


ers, insurance agents, peddlers, real estate, 
men and all classes of people from the one 
with the well filled stomach and natty attire 
to the one with empty stomach and the 
pangs of hunger clamoring for food over a 
sparsely clothed physique, all went to the 
call of love that made them equal when the 
human heart is in sorrow. 

Kneeling in the crowded and busy thor- 
oughfare in the most congested part of the 
city, the sympathetic Irishman poured out 
his heartache to God. “Me hivenly father, we 
bow before thee this day with sad and hivy 
hearts, fareing the loife of our bist frind. the 
Judge, will be taken from us, and oh, me 
God, we can't spare him. We nade him here. 
We can’t lit him go, he’s sick only the wake 
past, me dear Father, and we ask ye to spare 
his loife and lit him live for us. Don’t break 
our heavy hearts but hale hm and save him. 
Hear the prayer of a poor ignorant child of 
thine and raysthore the blissid loife of the 
Judge, and we will give Thee praise forivir. 
Amen.” 

“Amen,” said the motely crowd, loudly and 
lustily. And the heavy load was lifted, and 
the sweet dove of peace that comes quickly 
from the throne of Grace seemed to pacify 
that awful dread when the pall of death is 
near, that the Judge would live. 

Some one was seen coming from the 
Judge’s home and as he came along towards 


112 


HERE AND THERE 


the praying crowd, another asked, ‘*How is 
he?’’ 

‘‘Slightly better,” said the other. 

“Thank God,” they all exclamed, and the 
tension and strain on the sad faces com- 
menced to lessen and hopes rose higher. The 
next day another improvement was heralded 
and little by little the good man gradually 
regained, until convalescense set in and con- 
quered. Pain left the faces of the multitude 
and life resumed an easier mood. Soon he 
was able to sit in a chair and the populace 
was allowed to visit him. “What joy !” they 
all said, as they rained in upon him at all 
hours of the day. 

One little girl brought him some delicate 
viands, that a loving soul had sent, and 
asked someone to take them to the Judge, 
and tell him mama sent them and hoped he 
was better. 

“I’ll take them,” said a son of toil, and he 
reached out his gnarly hand soiled with la- 
bor, and said ,“Where do you live, my little 
lady, and what name shall I tell him?” 

“Just say they are from mama, the poor 
woman who received a load of coal and some 
things to eat last winter at Christmas time, 
with a ten-dollar bill in the box wrapped 
around the turkey’s leg. I think he’ll know,” 

“All right, my little lady,” he said as he 
brushed his arm across his eyes, “I, too, 
think the Judge will know.” 


A MAN 


113 


*‘For goodness sake, Pat, did you get all 
the different kind of flowers in America ?” said 
the Judge, '‘How came you to think of flow- 
ers for an old sick man like me?’* 

“A laytile child shall lade thim,’" said the 
son of Erin, “Fd rather give these few flow- 
ers to a live Judge thin a did one, yis more 
than twenty tons whin did.” 

“I never thought of that, myself,’’ said a 
minister standing near, “but it is true we 
rush and hurry along through life and never 
give a flower, ’till death comes along and re- 
minds us of our negligence. Fll just jot that 
down in my note book. There is a splendid 
theme clustering around that one word, 
flowers, and I believe, I could preach an in- 
structive sermon and perhaps a profitable 
one.” 

“Bedad,” said Pat, “I belave ye could, but 
if ye do, ye will surprise me. Praychers now- 
days or a great miny of thim, presint com- 
pany excipted, prache laytle about the Bible 
and lit thir whole tixt be saturated with 
money. If I could hear a good old sermon 
prayched without so much of the prisint day 
silver in it, I belave I would go often to 
church, but the way it is I can get up a talk 
wid anyone by houlding up the almighty 
dollar and reading the motto ‘in God we 
trust.’ No trouble at all, sor, to git a cred- 
itable listener. Silver is all right, me frind. 


114 


HERE AND THERE 


but damonitize it awhile in the pupil and 
get the sates filled.’* 

‘‘Did Pat leave?” asked the Judge. 

“No,’ some one said. “He is outside talk- 
ing to a minister.” 

“I would be glad to have him come back 
for awhile longer,” said the Judge. 

“Here I am, me frind, bag and baggage.” 

Well, well,” said the Judge, ‘'going to call 
on some one, Pat.” 

“Not a bit; these flowers are all yours. Bet- 
ter here than hereafter.” 

“Some more of your stoicism,” said the 
Judge and smiled. “These little tokens of 
affection, Pat, touch my heart deeply, and 
will be a life-long pleasure in my memory. 
I will never forget them. When I am a real 
old man, if the Lord is willing I should be, 
I will look back on them as among the very 
choicest pleasures of my career. Not that I 
am worthy of them, but that I can hold them 
in esteem from the great comfort it gives me 
that I may have been able to do a little good, 
if so, freely from the purest motives of love 
and help, that flow so freely from the great- 
est fountain of meritable love which all of 
us use so sparingly. 

“Even that refreshing bouquet you have 
brought me, means more to me and is held 
in higher esteem than all the wealth you 
could have piled in this room. I can appre- 
ciate more than ever the deep love that 


A MAN 


115 


flows from people’s hearts is the greatest 
gem in life. I wish I might have given more, 
for the joy is worth the sacrifice when hon- 
est motives of the heart is in the giving. The 
choice words on the monuments and the 
flattering and oft misleading obituaries, 
never outlive the love saturated in human 
hearts. Somehow it spreads and grows and 
keeps reseeding itself until it carries its in- 
signa through all our life and long after we 
are gone. It is a burning shame we with- 
hold so much of our love when so many need 
it and it would accomplish so much good and 
alleviate so much distress, so many hearts 
ache for it and never receive it. Man with- 
holds it in his rush for wealth and ease and 
sometimes prestige, that it becomes rusted 
and corroded and dead for want of use. 
There is no asset in life, Pat, compared to 
it. It is the magnet that attracts all other 
qualities that reverberates character. What 
a sweet word character is and all the beauti- 
ful attributes that cluster around it and en- 
twine in and through it: Truth, principle, 
honor, loyalty, reputation, honesty, confi- 
dence, manhood, and all the choicest aromas 
that contain nectars of purity. 

*‘Oh, what a pauper a man is who dies 
without it. How can he receive the heavenly 
gifts or have any right to expect any when 
he tarnishes the greatest gift that the all- 
wise Master gave us?” 


116 


HERE AND THERE 


“Bedad, Judge/^ said Pat, '‘ye can deliver 
a flowery discourse whin ye have only a 
bouquet for a tixt. If I was thinking your 
good old sowl so rilished such a small plis- 
ure, Oi’ll be afther bringing one daily, pro- 
viding I dhrop none as I come along. I could 
be tilling ye of a thousand bouquets thrown 
at ye from all classes of paple, but me eddi- 
cation baying neglected in me youth I have 
not at me command the chise language to 
expriss meself properly, and so Oi’ll kape 
sthill and give it to ye pace meal as I happen 
to stale from some one the pritty words that 
has the honey driping from thim. Niverthe- 
liss me hearing is good if me tongue does 
sthumble and I raymimbir your speach on 
love and have it in me head and me heart to 
use whiniver its nayded. ’Tis a rough school 
mesilf was raised in and a laytle frinship 
shprinkled along here and there as I have 
moved along has hilped to aise me spirits 
and kape me manhood alive within me, but 
ril not dwill on the sthumbles and falls and 
bruises I have rayceived in the little nar- 
row path, but raymimbir the tachings at me 
mother’s knay, tilling me of the Saviour’s 
love even to the ignorant. When the tempter 
says, ‘Come on, Pat, to the roomy path, 
that’s broad enough to kape ye from gitting 
the bruises.’ I raymimbir what me fine old 
mither said about the gintilfnum in the 
broad path that has the pull but ’tis down- 


A MAN 


117 


ward and the ithir one lifts up : Notice do 
ye, one pulls and other lifts? Oi’ll take the 
bruises and the climb rather than be slip- 
ping with nothing to grab to. Oi can look 
up and fioind the hand that lifts and lit the 
divil have the pull. I must be going, me 
frind. and God speed ye to health. Good day, 


118 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER XII. 

The Frosted Church. 

“Well, ‘Ma,’ ” said Ernest, “I have been a 
regular attendant at Church during the period 
of time I have been stationed here, and I feel 
today like doing something out of the ordin- 
ary and see what will be the effect. I am 
going to dress in clean overalls and put on a 
false beard and lean heavily on a cane, to ease 
my apparent worldly rheumatism, and find 
out how gladly I will be welcomed in the 
aristorcratic Church I have been attending.” 

“Why, Ernest, said “Ma,” “what causes 
such a rashness of your staid self as that?” 

“Well, 'Ma’,” he replied, “I just want to 
find out how close the church is to the com- 
mon man, the ordinary laboring man, and 
satisfy a desire of my own.” 

“Well, if you must, I presume you will let 
me know the results, or rather I may go and 
do my own observing,” said “Ma.” 

Donning the garb as he had spoken of, he 
started to Church. He was not only clad 
in blue overalls but he had on something else 
that the critical eye of the well dressed con- 
gregation could not behold, the armor of 
righteousness. He mounted the steps slowly. 


A MAN 


119 


as the rheumatic pains were excruciating and 
required exceeding cautious care, he casually- 
viewed the congregation, well dressed, well 
groomed, and prosperous looking if appear- 
ances counted for anything. An usher met 
and escorted him to a seat far in the rear, as 
he hobbled along he noticed the looks of as- 
kance, the gathering up of well cut skirts, and 
countenances void of brotherly love. His 
seat mate moved away farther on the seat to 
avoid conf^ination that might be in his 
clean suit of denim blue and he chuckled 
within. He was somewhat late and part of the 
service had been performed and the psalter 
lesson was being read, but as he had no book 
and none was offered him, he could not par- 
ticipate. 

He reached for a Bible lying on the seat 
and lettinp- it fall open where it may he read 
from the book of James, second chapter and 
the third verse “and ye have respect to him 
that weareth the gay clothing and say unto 
him sit thou here in a good place and say to 
the poor, stand thou there, or sit under my 
footstool.’* 

He wondered if Christ would make this dis- 
tinction and because one happened to be poor 
and not able to wear good clothes if Jesus 
would allow any favoritism. 

No, he knew Christ never did, and any 
Church that does does not show respect, but 
disrespect. He failed ‘to find any part of the 


120 


HERE AND THERE 


ten Commandments that showed any prestige, 
so it must be a violation of them, he could 
not believe that clothes should give superior 
rights in God’s Church or anything in the 
Bible to substantiate clothes first and then 
religion. But anyway he would be attentive 
to the discourse, God knew about the armor 
he wore and if this high caste crowd were 
unable to look beyond the overalls he knew 
Jesus could, as he always looked upon the 
heart. Some time he would visit the prayer 
meeting in this same garb, there would be 
more room there; for he was unable to recall 
ever seeing a prayer meeting crowded. 

The pastor’s discourse was masterly, pol- 
ishe d in perfect rhetoric, clean cut, concise 
language and carefully prepared phraseology. 
No denunciation of sin to ruffle the slightest 
discord to the large church membership, noth- 
ing to arouse or disturb any ill effect from 
anyone. You could not disintergrate from 
the sermon that such a thing as sin ever 
existed. Many witty stories caused the 
smiles to play and scamper across dull coun- 
tenances, and one turned to another as if to 
say he is certainly a great preacher, and the 
official board should raise his salary. The 
name of Christ was rarely mentioned, noth- 
ing said to fill a hungry heart, and Satan and 
his works received no retribution at all, the 
wily outcast that works six days in every 
week, every Sunday and grabs the extra day in 


A MAN 


121 


leap years, could have climbed over the pulpit 
railing and set in the pastor^s chair and need 
have no cause for any offense at anything 
that had been said by the man of God. When 
the climax of thought was reached and the 
words rolled and tossed in ease and rythm, 
the congregation leaned back in exultant 
satisfaction in the rendition of such perfect 
logic. Rising on his toes to his fullest stature 
and extending his arms to their fullest length 
he closed dramatically with the burning, 
bleeding words of Calvary. “It is finished.’* 
Ernest thought amen. 

After the benediction had been pronounced 
the elite grouped in many separate crowds 
and Ernest could hear them say, “It was a 
splendid sermon, wasn’t he inspired?” and 
so on and so forth. 

The rattlesnake handshake was endured by 
some, but no one extended any good fellow- 
ship to Ernest or gave an invitation to come 
again. Nothing was asked about him or was 
he even spoken to. He glanced at the pic- 
ture of the lamb of God to make sure he was 
in a church. “Alas,’* he said, ‘‘I feared the 
large number of aristocratic churches were 
wandering away from love that Jesus taught, 
and it seems sad but true that clothes make 
a difference, and man looketh on the outside.” 

How the Lord loved the common people 
and how close he lived to them, how he strove 
to draw the rich and poor together by his 


122 


HERE AND THERE 


teachings, how he labored diligently and pa- 
tiently as he travelled from place to place in 
his simple life to get a greater love among 
all. He eulogized the poor woman when she 
dropped a few pennies, her all, and made no 
mention of the affluent, reserved pew holder 
with his conspicious diamond studded shirt 
front, he caused no embarrassment or discom- 
fiture to the unfortunate woman who strove 
for purity when she touched his garments. 

The poor people claimed his thought and 
prayer, and in every instance he proved their 
benefactor. Ernest was sorry that God’s 
church allowed Mammon such a strong in- 
fluence. How could the church advance 
when the opposite of good became so impreg- 
nated and noticeable. How could the il- 
logical minister pound out his last salary dol- 
lar and be conspicious as the best dressed, 
best fed man in the community burrowing 
for the last farthing through pleading, beg- 
ging, continued repeated solicitations from 
people who had given again and again, think- 
ing by doing so an increased Christian spirit 
might be theirs, when the exorbitant require- 
ment, left the merchant unpaid, why not the 
pompous ordained gentleman sacrifice some 
and not the parishioner all the time? Bear 
ye one anothers burdens surely meant minis- 
ters, or the Lord would have put a provision 
in excluding them. Owe no man an)d:hing 
includes all classes but in order to do so the 


A MAN 


123 


minister should bear some of the sacrificial 
portion and not grind it all from some one 
whose spirit of liberality is raw enough to 
bleed. 

The Lord has never let a minister starve 
or allowed him to go without the necessary 
clothing, Christ would not persecute nor the 
sheriff cast him in prison if he preached the 
word of God in overalls. 

I guess I better soften up on the preachers. 
I love them and they are a fine body of men, 
necessary to elevate thought and morality, 
but nevertheless there are some too eager to 
get their full quota and never think of the 
burden of the other fellow, but it is getting 
severe the way some of them hound contin- 
ually for money. The Lord of course loves 
a cheerful giver but I do not think one should 
give so cheerfully more than he can, and have 
to face the scowl on the merchants’ faces, 
where is the cheer then? 

“Whew,” he whistled, preachers salary, 
home and foreign missions, benevolences, 
freedman’s aid, church extensions, honorary 
member W. C. T. U. Anti-Saloon league, or- 
phans and widows homes, homes for girls, 
feeble minded — don’t know about feeble 
minded; seems a fellow might be though. 
Gosh how can a fellow with six kids and a 
mother-in-law give to all these things, on a 
salary of $50.00 a month and wear anything 
but overalls? 


124 


HERE AND THERE 


*'1 guess, ‘Ma* is home by this time and 
dinner must be ready. I must hurry along.” 

“I beg your pardon,” said an unkempt, 
uncouth, unshaven mortal, “could you spare 
me a dime to help get my stomach back in ac- 
tion, that is becoming numb from being idle 
for three days?” 

Ernest thought about the passage that said, 
“Be not afraid to entertain strangers,” etc. 
Personal appearance was 90 per cent, against 
granting the request of the small American 
dime, but something in the wayfarer’s coun- 
tenance signified a hidden manhood and Ern- 
est said, “If I give you a dime would you 
have the audacity to spend it over the saloon 
bar?” “Sir,’’ he said, with much spirit, “I 
am a gentleman, I dare say I can produce 
credentials from the pocket of this ragged 
coat that would give pleasure to either your- 
self, or any man in your town to possess. 
Qothes and appearance do not altogether 
make a man, but they seem to have a power- 
ful incentive and many a well-dressed man 
that has not the brains of a Missouri mule 
leaves the fellow that has the brains but not 
the clothes far in the dusty background.” 
“You are right there, but speaking of that 
Missouri mule is something like an emetic 
and brings up another trite saying accredited 
to the State of the mule’s origin. “I under- 
stand,” spoke the other, and reaching into his 
ragged garment he pulled out a sheepskin 


A MAN 


125 


parchment and handed it to Ernest and said 
read that. “Well, I declare,*^ said Ernest, as 
he handed it back, “It seems a medical doctor 
should always have a position, but anyway 
your parchment does not keep you from be- 
ing a patron of the place I mentioned a short 
time ago.’* 

‘^My friend, put your mind at ease,” spoke 
the wayfarer, “I am a total abstainer, from 
the cradle, and I hope to the grave. I am 
also a follower of the Man that was crucified 
at Calvary. I perhaps should stop here but 
I am going to enlighten you with some of 
my past history. First, I am deeply cha- 
grined and also humiliated that I was forced 
to ask you for money to relieve the craving 
for food. I tried every minister in the town 
hoping to receive some food, but I got neither 
physical or spiritual, seems if they were short 
on the former they would be long on the lat- 
ter, but anyway I did not get either. I am 
not entirely blaming the Men of God for 
this, as I know there is a worthless class that 
harrass and pester, but they should not include 
all that asks in the same category, for that is 
a mistake, but I do blame them for not show- 
ing some love to their fallen brother by the 
wayside, because I am their brother prosper- 
ous or busted, and they are not to judge but 
to help. 

“Secondly, I admit I belong to a profes- 
sion that is essential to humanity. I have 


126 


HERE AND THERE 


been in better circumstances and ranked high 
as a medical man; but when it came to ille- 
gitimate practice, preventing what God in- 
tended should not be prevented, I stepped 
down and bid my profession good bye, and 
so help me God, my friend, I would rather 
wander from one end of this land to the 
other, hungry and friendless and stagger into 
God’s eternal rest with a pure and shameless 
record, than live in ease and luxury with an 
abundance of wealth and ride to Heaven in 
a Cadillac eight with blood on my hands from 
criminal malpractice.” 

“Le me extend the hand of brotherly love,” 
said Ernest, "‘come with me.” 

“Thank you, sir, you are very kind.” 

“Over there,” said Ernest, “is a wash basin 
here is a bath room, there is a razor and over 
on that chair is some clean linen. Cleanse, 
mow, and clothe thyself.” 

“Ernest, said 'Ma,’ “who is that neat look- 
ing gentleman that you brought to dinner, 
that was so mannerly and used such courte- 
ous language, and seemed so cultured?” 

“Oh,” replied Ernest, “that is the cele- 
brated, widely noted physician who is travel- 
ling from Boston to attend a consultation 
meeting with that world famed surgeon at 
Los Angeles on one of the most baffling 
cases in the annals of the medical age. He 
heard of the choice viands your worthy hand 
is competent to concoct and transform, and 


A MAN 


12T 


I prevailed upon him to diagnose your mas- 
terly art and elucidate your hidden power 
to me/* 

“I do not believe a word you said/’ respond- 
ed “Ma,” “and at the end of the month ypur 
bill will show ‘feeding one down and outer* 
seventy-five cents. I know he fully ate that 
much. 

“All right, Mother of Sunrise,” said Em-^ 
est, “charity begins at home.” 


128 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER XIIL 
Chagrin and Kindness. 

ITie Judge had debated for a long time, 
whether it was his duty or not to call upon 
Millie, and satisfy his own mind and obser- 
vations, if there were anything to the rumors, 
or any foundation of what he had heard con- 
cerning Millie. He disliked to be conspicuous, 
or offensive, but his long experience, the 
pleasant acquaintance of her parents and the 
interest for her relegated all other delicate 
conditions and he finally considered it his 
duty, and he went as ostentatious as possi- 
ble. 

As he stepped upon the veranda he heard 
the voice of Richwald say, “Remember the 
six months’ probation will elapse in three 
more weeks, and then to the sunny south- 
land with you as my bride.” 

“Very well,” said Millie, “I agreed and I 
am like the American soldier, all creation 
cannot stop me, but I urgently insist on my 
full quota of time.” 

“Suits me,” said Richwald, as he stepped 
out on the opposite side of the house from 
where the Judge stood. 

“Why, good evening Judge Wilhelm, I am 


A MAN 


129 


pleased to see you in your good health again. 
Be seated please and let me take your hat.” 

“Thank you, Millie.” 

Coming back to the room Millie seated 
herself in an easy rocker and at an angle to 
get the full profile of the good man and 
watch all his actions, which she did colsely. 

“Millie” said the Judge, “we have always 
pushed aside formalities that sometime pro- 
voke hesitancy and base all our welfare of 
each other on the long friendship we have 
had the pleasure to enjoy in coming out clean 
and in the open, when either of us wished 
advice to enlightenment.” 

“Yes,” said Millie, “that is and has always 
been our creed, and I am glad your sickness 
did not contaminate or lesson your old time 
frankness. I feel the evening’s entertainment 
is upon you as I feel like a babe when it 
comes to procuring enlightenment from you, 
and you may proceed as the counsel in the 
case and I will steal the ermine and be the 
Judge as sort of a change to you, and lessen 
or weaken the judicial responsibility.” 

“Well, Millie I cannot enter into the case 
with any great amount of relish, and really 
it is a painful one to me, but I hope I will 
never forsake what I deem is my duty and 
if in anyway you might construe my remarks 
into any disrespect it would pain and humili- 
ate me to my life’s end and always be a 
source of regret. I must divulge myself and 


130 


HERE AND THERE 


the sooner the better. I presume you un- 
doubtedly know, Millie, since the advent of 
Mr. Richwald in our midst, he has spent the 
larger portion of his time in your company, 
I trust you find him a gentleman that 
espouses high and lofty ideals, and never 
stoops to obtain a purpose or desire.” 

He looked her squarely in the eye, and 
though his look from practice was penetra- 
tive and searching, she held her peace and 
he continued, “I believe, Millie, my nature 
is one widely known as a submissive one and 
held in control by the exercise of studious 
care and forethought, I wish never to oflfend 
or rashly or importunely criticise, but I say 
this in all candor and friendship, I dislike to 
see you chaperoned by Mr. Richwald, I base 
these remarks on my ability to read human 
nature, and while my acquaintance with the 
gentleman is very limited I withold nothng 
from you in speaking frankly, that I dislike 
him. I hope I am not rude in my opinion, 
but when I say this I mean it most emphati- 
cally, that there is something concealed in 
his nature that is revolting; he is cunning, 
untrue and will stoop far beneath the level 
of manhood to acquire his purpose, I have no 
authority to go farther than this except a 
casual remark I unintentionally heard as I 
waited for admittance this evening, and 
heard him express his motives for your com- 
panionship to be the gainer for his sordid 


A MAN 


131 


desires to the cryng detriment of another, 
whose shoes he is not fit to blacken. This 
is strong language, Millie, but I say it out of 
respect for your honorable parents, and a 
protection to yourself, from a friend who 
would go to the very gates of hell to save 
you from deception. I say farther, partly as 
a fact and partly as a presumption that Rich- 
wald’s character points strongly to that of a 
criminal, which I can almost assure you time 
will prove, it is hidden in hs nature and 
adroitly covered, but it is there and very 
plainly to me, in my long dealing with 
crooks and criminals. It will come to the 
surface sometime and society will brand him 
as an imposter that has lived in ease and 
luxury from an unearned competency stolen 
from some one else. 

“That is my honest opinion of Richwald, 
certainly not a favorable one, is it?’* 

“Judge Wilhelm, I think you are mistaken 
and laboring under some fairy delusion. I 
never heard you speak so plainly and so im- 
pressively. Do you think I am a child not 
to be trusted, or competent to determine 
what I think is best for me, and the qualities 
that constitute righteousness; do you?” and 
she fairly beamed with anger. 

“Listen, Millie do not allow yourself to 
become indignant. I admire your spirit of 
resentment and look upon you as a lady of 
culture, endowed with good common sense. 


132 


HERE AND THERE 


but change your thought from one of favor 
and take the other side, not really abhorrence, 
but bordering closely to it. What constitutes 
the foundation of an honorable man? Pon- 
der a few moments and think earnestly, what 
does? Is it deception, cunningness and the 
destroying of other people's letters, no not 
letters perhaps is not the exact word," and he 
watched her to note the effect, “but the de- 
stroying of other people's strong, honest, 
pure and almost holy environments and the 
sacred entwinements and promises." 

Millie again failed to get the import of 
the idea of what the Judge artfully endeav- 
ored to unclothe and he waited for its absorb- 
tion, and continued. “You certainly can tell 
a flower that God unwraps through his sun- 
shine and showers and then places it before 
you a model of beauty and perfection, rather 
than one that springs up over night slug- 
gishly without any aroma ,bf enchantment 
and endeavors to win as choice a place 
through imperfection and scurrility, and 
again he watched her. 

“You certainly, Judge Wilhelm, are talk- 
ing in a bewildering and peculiar way to me 
and while I think I gather the trend of your 
meaning I certainly think your remarks are 
very unappropriate, and you have not fully 
recovered your usual mental profoundnes« of 
thought since your illness.’* 

“Now, Millie," sail the Judge sadly, “I 


A MAN 


133 


regret that personal thrust. If you only knew 
how deep that cut and how it will gnaw, eat 
and pain me, I know you would have ab- 
stained from it. I am trying to tell you for 
your future peace of mind and happiness 
and every word I have spoken has been from 
the depths of my heart, and Millie if I was 
forced to the final test I would lay my bleed- 
ing heart at the altar of your happiness ; what 
more my girl, what more can one human be- 
ing do for another when their last drop of 
blood is shed in their behalf?” 

“Think long and seriously, my girl, that 
I have kn^own and seen reared from a baby 
choicest and rarest gfifts of virtue, love and 
into a splendid woman, endowed with the 
honor. Think long and well, and if ever 
the time comes when you need either my ad- 
vice or help, remember I will come, in storm 
(or sunshine, daylight or darkness, health or 
sickness to administer what little I can to the 
daughter of my lifelong friend and com- 
panion and partly pay the debt of friend- 
ship that I owe to your honorable, loyal 
father. I bid you good evening Millie; it is 
very late and I must go. Good night and 
may God in his mercy care for you.’* 

An almost pathetic good night in a very 
low tone was said by Millie, and the kind old 
man of the bench was swallowed in the dark- 
ness. He trudged slowly along with an ache 
in his heart and wished he were home where 


134 


HERE AND THERE 


he might give vent to his grief and sob like 
a child. 

“Bedad, Judge, is that you? Lend a hand 
here to a poor misfortunate that’s got out of 
that little narrow path in the big woide one.** 

"‘All right Pat, where is he?” 

“Bedad me friend, you spake loike ye 
drank the cup of sorrow to the dregs and 
thin gulped thim down , but come on ’till we 
raise up some fallen humanity and raysthore 
his aquilibrium, (how’s that last worrud yer 
hon(or for a mon that sane the school house 
from a pint of observation only). Sthand on 
yer aquililly ye besoaked critter, whir did ye 
git that there tebacky compound and that 
tyfoid wather. Brathe through yer proboscis 
and npt too often aither, for tis the divil of 
a schmfll that ye are histing forninst me. Un- 
der his wings Judge and take that ithir soide, 
I’ll hist the rist of him, that’s the way, now 
stidy, March, April or Daycimber anyway to 
get to port. “In — in — in me pocket,” came 
from the tongue almost too thick to utter. 
“What’s in ye pocket, dinimite?” “No, po-por 
port.” “Port what?” said Pat. “Oh, now I un- 
derstind, port wine. Shure eddication is mar- 
vilious, but intuition and scint is close cousins.” 

“Bejabers, that’s the last ye have from 
that bottle,” and is that I could desthroy 
all of it as aisy. On we go, yer honor, to yer 
front room bed.” 


A MAN 


135 


After much pulling, dragging and carry- 
ing me midnight trio reached the Judge’s. 

‘‘Back to nature,” said Pat as he unclad 
him, “we’ll give the gintlemun a good lesson, 
a cold bath, some clean clothes and thin one 
of yer handy lectures, your honor. All 
riddy,” and a full pail of cold water brought 
the desired results. 

“Well, men, what does this mean? Where 
am I at, and why this rudeness?” asked the 
besoaked street prodigal. “It manes me 
frind, that if ye don’t sign this plidge of total 
abstinence (bedad how the worruds do be 
coming to me lately) that your name and 
condition without hope of reward or fare of 
poonishment will be printed on hand bills 
and circoolated all through this slapeing vil- 
lage so that iviryone will be rayding it whin 
they do be dhr inking their morning coffee, 
sign up, sign up or I’ll disclose your ac- 
tions under the cover of darkness.” “I will 
sign it, yes, but you were speaking of clothes, 
did I have some or didn’t I ?” “Oh, bedad,” 
said Pat, “you are a born scholar, ye did have 
a few rags, but thim is gone the way of your 
port, and thirs a new suit for ye, insoide and 
lout, hat, necktie and socks. Thry thim on 
and say how they fit.” 

When he had dressed, the Judge said, 
“what caused a man of your ability and as 
good a citizen as you will make to thow away 
your talents and roll in the gutter like a hog ? 


136 


HERE AND THERE 


I and my friend here want to see you brace 
up and be a man, and if you ever need any 
help, qome to either of us and we will be 
more than pleased to assist or encourage you, 
to start you out right, and if you really 
intend to be a man, you want to start right, 
do you not?” 

“Yes, sir, I certainly do.” 

“Well then as the three of us engage in a 
word of prayer, pour out your heart aches to 
a better friend than either of us can ever be 
and I will guarantee you will never regret it 
or be sorry. Let us pray. 

“Dear Heavenly father, we look to thee, 
not that we are worthy of thy commiserate 
care and help, but that we may through thee 
be able to withstand the trials, and tempta- 
tions. We are weak and unless thy great 
love is embedded within our hearts we can- 
not suppress the evils through our wavering 
and unmoored strength. Help us and care 
for us, and let thy love come into the heart 
of our brother here who let temptation over- 
come him, cleanse his unrighteousness and 
be a shield to him in time of peril, guide him 
back to the narrow path where manhood, 
love, peace, contenment and all good things 
are found, help him to see and understand 
the blessed Jesus died for him and is standing 
ready to forgive him of all his iniquities. 
Give him freely of thy aid, cheer and help 
him and show him that if he will trust thee. 


A MAN 


137 


and anchor his love in thee thou wilt keep 
him pure and clean, and reward him in that 
day when thou shalt ask him to give account 
of his stewardship, let it that which is pleas- 
ing to thee, we ask it in the blessed name of 
Jesus, Amen/' 

“I thank you gentlemen,*’ said the revised 
edition of a new Man, am not an entire 
stranger to the teaching of the lowly Man of 
Galilee, and though I stumble and fall, I can 
come back to his great love, and he forgives 
me and his love again restores me, Praise 
his name gentlemen, and may an added bless- 
ing rest upon you. Good night, or rather 
mid-night,” and he stepped again out into 
an uncertain world. 


138 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER XIV. 

An Irish Ressurrection. 

As the tattered letter fell from Rich- 
wald’s hand and the torn pieces lit here and 
there, Pat stepped from behind a tree and 
laboriously collected them, and to be sure 
none had escaped he searched and re- 
searched until satisfied he had them all. 

“Be jabers now what does all this mane? 
I am moighty glad the writer used only one 
side of the paper. I will put the whole of 
it pasted on a board of some koind and thin 
oill rade it. Ye rascal ye are up to some 
kind of mischafe and this may be good ivi- 
dince of yer decate. I am afther thinking 
this may assist in clarifying some peculiar 
actions of that quare Richwald and I will be 
taking the bist of care of these scraps of 
paper, and lock thim in me trunk after I 
lock thim in me hid. Oill be waithing until 
the darkness of night falls and in the way 
hours oill get thim out and start me 
glue factory and fit thim togither. Rest 
in me pocket me beauties until I nade ye.” 

“Hello there/’ said some otie, and Pat 
looking up beheld the MAN he and the 
Judge had taken to Port without the Port. 


A MAN 


139 


“Well, me good frind,” said Pat, “I hard- 
ly racognized ye. How are you getting 
along, and why are ye in sooch a hurry.” 
“Oh,” responded the other, “I have a good 
job and feeling excellent.” “Shure I am 
very glad indeed for the interesting infor- 
mation. Don’t fail to consult with your 
great frind whin ye are sorely timptid, and 
go to him whinivir ye are in great nade, and 
befoor the ithir one gets a chance to get a 
hoult on me, and oill Be guaranteeing that 
ye will nivir lose the battle.” 

“Well, thank you heartily, Pat. I have 
tried your suggestion and I fully believe 
in keeping the remedy at hand, and when 
I feel sick for some of the old worldly 
things I take the remedy that God has for 
me, and the MANHOOD within me and 
that little talk of the Judge’s, and the water 
cure you gave me. helps me to be the vic- 
tor.” 

“That’s good sinse, me frind; kape at it 
and rade your Bible, and raymimbir me and 
the Judge whin ye nade any assistance.” 

“Good day, sir.” 

As Pat leisurely walked towards his 
domicile he meditated on early events in 
his checkered path of life, he had no regrets 
that he had taken the hand of Jesus, who 
had lifted him from evil, he wondered that 
he had waited as long as he had, but if he 
had been negligent in his late acceptance. 


140 


HERE AND THERE 


he would offset some of his derelection by 
getting in double time to sort of equalize 
that which had been lost. 

“I often winder at the qiiare mixup of 
human lives, those that could do things and 
have the manes, but will not, and those that 
have the inclination but not the manes and 
cannot. Why the Lord did not have the 
manes and the willingness togithir is be- 
yond me dapest thoughts, but oill not be 
interfaring with how the Lord made paple, 
for aven meself might have done a poorer 
job of it, and oill not be bothering the few 
brains he seen fit to give to me and sphend 
no time delving into his human manufac- 
turery. That’s the sicond toime now me 
heart is in Oireland and me fate in Americy, 
it often comes whin I think of me fayther. 
be jabers but he was an iccintric indipindint 
good little mon, he had his faults, and oi 
have mine and the rist of ye is not disolate 
whin sphakeing of faults. 

“Me fayther was a hard mon to l?et ac- 
quainted with and oi nivir lamed him until 
a few years before his dith. Oi nivir could 
fale rale fra v/ith him m getting close to 
his heart. Nivir can oi rainimbir of sitting 
on his knay, or had him till me a sthory or 
give me a frindly kiss. Oi loved me fay- 
ther in his old age whin the mellowness was 
staleing iiun his nature that showed me 
plainly what had been covered up so long. 


A MAN 


141 


The heart aches in me know that his mil- 
lowness did not come earlier in his cayreer 
whin oi longed for his love and companion- 
ship. Oi did not riccollict any of his airly 
history, but that he was born in the Coun- 
ty Mayo in the laycle town of 

under the sunny skies of the ould sod, and 
at the tindir age of four years he was left 
an orphan, this may account for his not be- 
ing iny too fond of the kisses and the miny 
other things connected therewith. I know 
he was of the Catholic faith born one and 
died one and had no fare of future punish- 
ment. 

“I can rayminiber miny of his good and 
meritable c,ualities. I nivir heard him 
spake falsely of inybody, abuse the intigrity 
of his honor or chate inyone out of a Lin- 
coln pinny, he nivir told me muc’i about his 
religion, and Oi am not an authority which 
daynomination is' the sure one, and oi give 
to all the backbone of the American consti- 
tution and lit thim use the dictates as they 
plase. Choorches are station houses on the 
Union Paycific to hivin, and ye can git on 
at the Methodist, the Prisbitarin or the 
Catholic Dapot, and be sure of getting to 
the right place if ye live the loife that suits 
the master, but if ye don’t live right a 
good miny will be lift at the roundhouse 
waiting for the engine to hook on whin the 
stame can’t be raised. Oi will be satisfied 


142 


HERE AND THERE 


to get on the thrain whin oi say me 
Lord at the throttle and take me oirish 
chance of having him pull me to the roight 
place. 

“Oi hotild in me heart no malice for iny 
daynomination and nivir would oi put an 
obstruction to have the block show rid, but 
’tis wrong to have all of thim imphatically 
saying this is the roight one. Oi have an 
uncle in Osage, Missouri — ^but sphaking of 
me faythei I loved him as aforesaid min- 
tioned and because he was an Irishman and 
oi love the Irish this makes a dubble love 
for me fayther, sort of a shotgun raciproci- 
ty because it raypates. Oi rayilize that 
thir are all koinds of oirish — ^good, indiffer- 
ent and dubble bad, but lit me say from ex- 
pa3^rience 40 odd years of it and with the 
sauce of observation thrown in as good mis- 
ure and swateniss, that of all class of pay- 
pie that oi have met through defate and 
victory thir is none that have more tindir 
simpathy and dayper devotion thin the oir- 
ish, with all thir faults be they more or liss. 
They are conundrums to understand but the 
heart in thim is loyal and thrue. His quick 
timpor may wound you, his fist may harrum 
ye and his wit may best you, and his sar- 
casm burn ye but whin the cup of life is 
filled with sorrow and ye nade the hilp of 
a thrue and tindir love go iviry toime to an 
oirshman, may God bless ivirybody and don’t 


A MAN 


14a 


forget the oirish, bejabers oi must loike the 
oirish, and whir is a place ye don’t foind 
thim, in the Sinit, prisidintial chair, Aider- 
men, Policemun, Base ball managers, in the 
ring (both koinds). Orators, Lecturers, Pro- 
fissors. Actors, Musicians all along the C. 
B. & Q. R. R. and both bars? Well bedad 
oi must get at me noight worruk, oim a 
mon of letthers meself, so here goes me pa- 
tience in raystoring the miny shmall payees 
of paper into a letter that’s raideable. ‘Sun- 
rise, Kilifornia,’ that’s me stharting, ‘your 
own true love, Ernest Landon,’ that’s the ind- 
ing, with the ixciption of these funny- 
marks that riprisint kisses. Oh bedad oi 
had a swateheart meself once, oi know the 
funny marks. Some' love through a loife 
toim®, some get a taste and some nivir get 
it at all, at all. Oi raymimbir me taste of. 
it and oi nivir could understand why the 
Lord took her away, and lave me broken^ 
hearted that has nivir bin mindid, but moni 
proposes and God disposes and oi got the 
lavings and a punctured pump, but bliss the 
mimory of me swateheart, her loife and love 
made me betther and built the foundation for 
me MANHOOD ’twas a fareful blow to me 
irascible nature but ’twas bist for some un- 
sane rayson or ’twould have bin different 
altogether, and while it nearly stole me 
rason oi thank the Lord he aised the pain 
and made me a betther mon. Oi rayjoice 


144 


HERE AND THERE 


me love was pure and not the twintieth 
cintury koind that sphrings up in two 
glances, and five hours afterwards ye have 
a laytle soft frizzly undomesticated uh huh 
dash of flour on yer hands that ye don’t 
now what in the divil to do with, and un- 
liss ye chase the dollars hard and have a 
laytle pride yer five hours courtship throws 
ye flat against yer mother in law, the knot 
tiers fee unpaid, and a wool sack full of 
‘domestic infelicity as yer hasty burdhen to 
sthart with. Shure ’tis the wrong kind of 
a blissing to bolster up iny lasting congan- 
ial plisure. Quick courtships, punctured 
finds, ye darling laytle fluffy thing, yer 
mother in out law to plase, and ye shure 
have a job on yer hands to corrall the bis- 
coots, and a good running sthart to the 
Coort house. Good night to the girrul 
whose sole vocabuoleery is uh huh, thirs 
too much mush and sorrow in the two 
worruds to turn out dacint biscoots. Oi 
loike the koind that makes ye wate and di- 
vilop yer muscle, and spakes out dare and 
distinct without any fumbling of the uh 
hubs, thims the koind that can put a pros- 
perous well dayviloped biscoot one full 
•grown and shmile at ye ateing it. Well be 
jabers oi must be getting back to me worruk 
and not be running to an Oirish solecism. 
Let me see oi had the engine and the cay- 


A MAN 


145 


boose to me letther oi must be putting in 
a few cars. My dear and loving Millie 
(that^ sounded good) and goes behoind the 
locomotive. Ma is a splendid type of choice 
womanhood. Bedad where will oi couple 
oop that epigram, it don’t fit nare the kisses 
although tis swate, oi must give oop the 
idea of classifying the swate things sipa- 
rate from the unswate and moind the sinae 
more. I have kept my love pure and re- 
joice in being true to my promise as I 
agreed by the silent Elm, but you my dear, 
for some reason allowed negligence to creep 
in and I no longer hear from you, and I 
mistrust you no longer are possessed of 
the ardor you so sweetly manifested on the 
day of our betrothal, what should cause 
that spark of love that burned so brightly 
to smoulder and finally become extinct is 
more than I can fathom.” 

Bedad, oi did foine that toime. Iviry 
one that oi picked oop samed to fit in snugly 
and be the roight one. The Bible the Judge 
gave me is still my daily companion and 
guide. I often think of Brannigan and the 
presence of mind that he had in placing 
in my grip a motto that I have placed on 
the wall in my room, it was kind and 
thoughtful of him. Bedad oi most forgot 
about that, but it might have been a 
good one. Remember the elms silent ap- 


146 


HERE AND THERE 


proval of our love, God's joining together 
of souls, the streams when it said Millie, 
Millie, the saloon with its foul smell, kisses 

based on pure love and not on base r . 

Bedad the kayboose is ahead of the engine 
thin a car gits ahead and thin the kayboose 
stands alone, this must be rasorted and oi 
must cease to paste thim down before rayd- 
ing or it will look worse than the old lady’s 
insane quilt, and liss sinse than the mayden 
spache of a College lawyer. Half past tin 
and not one page riserrected, oi wish Airn- 
est would have written a short letther this 
toime and put in more kisses, as oi can ar- 
range the kisses nicely and have no trouble 
with thim, but oi have so mooch trouble in 
kapeing the hid loight in front of the en- 
gine. But do not give up Brannigan, ’tis 
not an oirish trait and yer a young mon yit, 
so here we stame up agin. If all men that 
hold positions of trust would never abuse 
the confidence their constituents repose in 
them, like the venerable Judge, what glor- 
ious and exalted places the Courts of this 
Country could rest upon. Whenever any 
Judicial tribunal allows contamination for 
the selfish advancement of a few and chosen 
privileges as a special body for narrow prin- 
ciples, then those high offices lose dignity 
and fester with moral decay and partial de- 
cisions. If our Courts do not stand out as 


A MAN 


147 


public benefactors of impartial justice what 
can we expect other than pollution and cen- 
sure. When any man in any office takes 
his oath before Almighty God to do his duty 
and then flagrantly abuses that sacred trust, 
where in society could such a man be placed 
that would entitle him to any recognition. 
Where is the merit? Bejabers another 
nice string of cars, rade and paste is betther 
than paste and rade. Whenever I forsake 
any principle embodied in my elm tree 
promise, approved by the trickling stream 
in God’s great out door of purity and gran- 
deur, I hope I will not have the brazen au- 
dacity to impose upon you that inward 
falsity of leading you to the altar and de- 
ceitfully fulfilling the most sacred ceremony 
that God has ordained between man and 
woman. And now Millie I have long and 
patiently expected a reply to my letters, 
but as the weeks drag into months, and 
when my heart heavy with grief and sad- 
ness steals away the sunshine and a long- 
ing, burning despondency settles its gloom 
and melancholy upon me, and I think and 
ponder and yearn, until reason feels like 
flitting from me, my soul cries out in an- 
guish and remorse. For God’s sake Millie, 
what is the trouble? Do not torture me and 
make me old and wretched, write and tell 
me all, Millie, Millie, Millie, do not break 


148 


HERE AND THERE 


your promise and drive me to an early 
grave.* The dirty, sneaking, despicable, con- 
timptible automobile shnake and coward 
Be dad I must have sthruck the table 
harrud, me fist aches yit. Will inyway oi 
finished it if it is thray o’clock. Oi have 
some good ividince on me paste board. 


A MAN 


14 & 


CHAPTER XV. 

The Midnight Bar Oration. 

Ernest had been detained late at the of- 
fice finishing an intricafe piece of work and 
was not aware of the lateness of the hour, 
until he consulted his watch. Goodness 
sakes 11:05 P. M., I must be going. Slip- 
ping on his coat he hurriedly turned the 
key in the lock and rapidly strode home- 
ward. 

As he neared the saloon he heard voices 
singing in a drunken jarjon sort of way inside 
and outside the building. Hoping to pass 
quickly he increased his pace and was 
nearly past when two large, red-faced men 
grabbed him, and try as he could in his 
strength of youth to extricate himself, he 
could not. Dragging him inside by sheer 
muscular strength, one of the ruffians said, 
amidst laughter and jeers, “Ascend there to 
that marble top and give us a bar oration/^ 

“Why not,” went through his mind, and 
he yielded to their entreaty and stood be- 
• fore them. 

“Proceed, John B. Gough the second,” 
said one of the well imbibed amdience^ 


150 


HERE AND THERE 


This gave Ernest a clue as he remembered, 
Gough was a famous temperance lecturer. 
Why not at this late hour before this mot- 
ley drunken crowd pour out the burning 
words of denunciation that this demoraliz- 
ing business warranted, why not dynamite 
the minds of these red nosed hearers with 
the best he had, and he decided to try. 

'‘Gentlemen of the Bar, the wrong bar, 
the bar to MANHOOD, principle and hap- 
piness, lend me your ears but not your noses. 
I do not want your whiskey soaked rasp- 
berry vein bursted proboscis, keep them 
yourselves, they advertise the business for 
the man that takes your money and char- 
acter and gives you nothing back but that 
raspberry blossom, are you proud of your 
investment? Hands up if you are, stand 
back of the man you buy your goods from. 
No hands, well thanks boys, there’s a 
spark of pride left yet, let’s kindle it. How 
many of you fellows will go home to your 
wives, with enough money in your pockets 
to take her a box of candy? You all love 
your wives, you registered your oath in 
Heaven to protect and cherish her above 
all others. ARE YOU DOING IT?” and he 
yelled the burning words. "Listen, Men, I 
want to say this to you, each day you live 
is indelibly written down on the daily page 
in the book of life. 

If you have lived clean and honor- 
able, well and good, if you have not I say. 


A MAN 


151 


Alas. Remember men when darkness falls 
and you steal companionship from the one 
you swore to love and care for, and revel 
here in shame and debauchery, until the 
morning sun discloses another day, it is too 
late to change the record and the page can- 
not be torn out, mutilated or destroyed be- 
cause it is eternally fastened, and your page 
of life for that day is chronicled under the 
caption, shame and evil. How many more 
of that kind of pages do you want before 
you ask the intercession of God; do you 
want more or are you willing and ready to 
keep filling the book? Listen, you reap 
what you sow, and the keenest mind that 
ever lived cannot dispute that fact, can 
you expect to sow raspberries and reap the 
bread of life, can you get into the boat of 
purity and glide over the stream of life into 
God’s holy love, when you keep sowing the 
filth that this hell hole stands for? Can vou 
men? CAN YOU BE SQUARE AND 
HONEST? CAN YOU?” and his voice 
roared and boomed in the intensity of feel- 
ing. 

“Mr. Saloon keeper, you that has the 
brazen audacity to wear a white apron, the 
symbol of purity, when you should wear a 
crepe one, you who pave the street with 
dollars stolen from shoeless and hungry 
children, broken-hearted wives and moth- 
ers, you that claim that you reduce taxes 


152 


HERE AND THERE 


witk your license money, do you reduce and 
how much, how many mills, or the frac- 
tional part of a mill, how much^ DonH 
know? Well said, you don’t know. T.isten how 
you reduce them. You make paupers, crim- 
inals, beggars, liars, maniacs, robbers, and 
the rottenest kind of character assasins. You 
fill the jail and penitentiaries, and you pour 
your miserable, damnable license money 
into the City treasury at one end and, you 
keep the Courts, Juries and Lawyers busy 
at the other. You never let up day or night, 
and all day and part of the night you keep 
justice at work, pray tell me where the tax 
reduction comes in ; you gather boys with- 
out any discrimination, lawyers, ministers, 
doctors, mine, yours and anybody’s. You 
steal their characters, that mothers have 
prayed to keep pure, destroy their future 
and then give them a push into hell. Are 
you proud of your finished product, are you 
proud of your vocation, ARE YOU? ARE 
OU? 

“You do not stop with the boys but you 
take girls — ^girls that are as pure as lilies, 
the gems of this whole creation, and what 
does your nefarious business do for them? 
You know. Come on, be square. Where do 
they end after you get your devilish clutch 
upon them? Are you proud to see them as 
they travel the road to ruin and hell, are 
you? How do you improve the community, 


A MAN 


15Z 


what benefit do your patrons derive? Are 
you going to be proud of your work when 
you reach old age, when you stand before 
God and all these wrecks of humanity, 
stand behind you, and point their long 
emaciated fingers at you and say, he did it, 
how many will point, how many? Who 
paid for that diamond in your shirt front, 
and that other one on your finger, who 
built that elegant home where you live, 
who furnished the golden oak furniture, 
the costly rugs, who buys your beefsteak, 
your brass bed, and the easy rocker for your 
wife? Does she enjoy it, tell her all about 
the sorrow, the heart aches, prayers and 
tears behind that rocker, show it vividly to 
her, and as she rocks back and forth to the 
musical swash of her silken skirts ask her 
if she enjoys her meditations. 

“Is not your own daughter worth all the 
millions this damnable business has ever 
paid in license money, would you see her 
go straight to the wickedness of hell, to let 
your saloon run, would you? Men of the 
bar you are the fellows that foot the bill, 
you let this fellow ride by you in his auto- 
mobile and you reel along in drunkenness 
and rags, that he may do so. He eats the 
choice cuts of the high priced steaks, and 
you pay for them, his children wear good 
clothes, his wife lives in ease, and you fel- 
lows pay all his bills. Are his children bet- 


154 


HERE AND THERE 


ter than yours, or his wife, are they men, 
are they? and a hundred voices fairly bel- 
lowed, not by a d sight/ Then why 

give all to this man and let your wife sit 
on a box, your children pointed at and your- 
self a disgrace in their sight. Are you 
proud to keep this fellow sleek and well 
groomed, and your wife and children cold 
and hungry. Are you Men? Stop — stop — 
stop. 

“Come on men, come on be men, it is not 
too late, come on, come on, come to Jesus 
and he can restore your MANHOOD and 
send you home sober. He will give you a 
renewed pride that will not let any man 
steal from your wife or children, come on 
men, come on. I love you; Jesus loves you; 
his heart is bleeding for 3'^ou, he gave his 
life for men like you, be men, be fathers, 
be husbands and love the dear ones, don’t 
kill your wife and send her broken hearted 
to an early grave and have her blood on 
your hands to answer for, don’t disgrace 
your children, I know you love them, come 
on and tell Jesus, he understands you men, 
Come on men, be men.” “Just a minute, 
some one said, and as Ernest looked around 
he saw the saloon keeper getting upon the 
bar beside him. “Gentlemen,” he said, “you all 
know me. l or ten years I have sold this 
cursed stuff to you, I have grown wealth}'’ 
through the dispensing of it, I have lived 


A MAN 


155 


in comfort and ease, I am not proud of it, 
and in ten minutes from now a new day 
starts, and when the new day begins I start 
with it and as long as I live, I will never 
again, so help me God, sell another glass 
of any kind of liquor. I am through with this 
business forever. I am deeply touched 
from what the boy has said and I am sorry 
that I have caused the sorrow and the 
heartaches that I have. My fortune is 
yours, rugs, furniture and all if you want 
it, and if there is one among you that I can 
help in any way I will do your bidding 
gladly and partially restore and lessen some 
of the misery I have caused. I fully realize 
I cannot go on in life without the help and 
forgiveness of the Savior, this boy has 
spoken of, and I take his hand as a pledge 
and ask you all to do the same.” ‘‘Just a 
minute,” said a voice. “I wish to say a word. 
I have in my hand an original poem that 
I have set to music and with your forbear- 
ance I am going to sing it to you, and then 
I will repeat the solicitation of my friend 
here for all of you to come to the Master 
as a crowning victory to the movement the 
boy here started when he sent me sprawl- 
ing upon the pavement. Listen to the song 
friends. 


156 


HERE AND THERE 


WHEN THE LIGHTS GO BY. 

God is on the engine coming straight 
for you 

He has the throttle open, his Gospel 
train is due, 

Don’t hesitate to signal or miss his 
watchful eye 

Be sure and get a foot hold ’fore the 
lights go by. 

When the lights go by, when the lights 
go by 

Your soul will cry in anguish, too late 
will be your cry, 

Don’t miss your chance for heaven and 
never even try. 

And say Alas, you waited ’till the lights 
went by. 

Your passage costs you nothing, Jesus 
paid the price, 

The Bible is the time card that all your 
needs suffice. 

He’s looking for your signal, Oh heed 
his watchful eye 

Tell him you are ready ’fore the lights 
go by. 

Come on, the whistle’s blowing, his 
limited is here, 

His train is never crowded, the Right 
of Way is clear 

Don’t hesitate and miss it, tomorrow 
you may die, 

Ask Jesus for a ticket ’fore the lights 
go by. 


A MAN 


157 


“Ten minutes to twelve men,” said the 
•saloon keeper, “line up for Jesus, ’fore the 
lights go by, come on,” and they came. 

“Pray my friend,” said the regenerated 
saloon MAN to Ernest. “No,” said Ernest, 
‘‘let the first convert pray, he was one of 
your patrons. Let us kneel boys, all of 
you.” 

“Dear God, we come before thee at this 
hour and ask thee to feed these hungry and 
aching hearts, these hearts that have wan- 
dered in the paths of sin and far from thy 
love, you still love them, and love all of 
them, come close to us that we may feel 
thy presence, and though Lord we are not 
in a house dedicated to thy service thou 
Gan enter just the same. We know that 
wherever hungry hearts yearn for thee 
there thou wilt be and that to comfort and 
bless. Make good and respectable MEN 
and citizens out of these men, send them 
to their homes with gladness, and the sun- 
shine of thy love and soberness shining in 
their faces, let them meet their loved ones 
with outstretched arms. Lord forgive our 
wickedness anid help us in our struggle to 
be decent and honorable MEN, we can with 
thy help, come Lord and bless us all, bless 
the MAN who had courage to take a stand 
for thee and disclaim any further wrecking 
of souls through the nefarious business he 
was engaged in. Hasten the day to the 


158 


HERE AND THERE 


complete extinction of this damnable bus- 
iness that is allowed in a land of boasted 
LIBERTY, speed the day when the stars 
and stripes can wave from the Atlantic to 
the Pacific, from the great lakes to the 
Gulf and all over our possessions, and will 
not have to droop in shame in seeing the 
effect and shame caused by the liquor traf- 
fic, and we will give to thee all the praise 
in his beloved name.” 

“Amen,” said the saloon keeper, “and 
Lord we put ourselves in thy hands, care 
for us and help us to be MEN, and give 
us strength to win" jtnd we will be MEN.” 
“Amen,” shouted many MEN. “Come on, 
boys, the clock is striking twelve, and my 
life changes and no longer will I sell any- 
thing that harms my brother, and takes 
away from him the best that God has given 
him, robs his famly and brings curses to 
me. Remember I am ready at any time to 
help any of you. Good night, and be faith- 
ful.” 

“I am certainly well pleased with my ex- 
temporaneous address, not anything that 
I said but the spirit and the strength that 
the Lord gave me, I believe, I could have 
talked three hours, it was so easy. Why 
Christ seemed to stand rigiit by my side 
and the words came so fast I could hardly 
keep ahead of them. I never believed I 
could say anything about intemperance, and 


A MAN 


15 ^ 


just think of it in a saloon with no one on; 
your side but Jesus and that one convert 
that came in later. If the Master had not 
been there I would have failed. Right after' 
the introductory remarks, I felt weak, but 
he seemed to say, ‘Be not afraid, it is I, lo I 
am with you always.’ ” 

Ernest could hardly believe that he had 
been forced into the saloon and made a 
speech for the marble bar, but he had and 
he felt elated, as is always the case when 
an honorable stand is taken for the Master’s^ 
business and MANHOOD. 

“Where have you been, Ernest,” said 
Ma? “Oh, only to a short intellectual 
meeting mingling with men of the bar.” 
“Were any celebrities there?” asked Ma. 
“No,” said Ernest, “just the ordinary fel- 
lows that swing their shingle to the breeze 
and then take all their cases before Judge 
Barleycorn.” “Good night, Ma.” “Morn- 
ing, rather you mean,” responded Ma. 


160 


HERE AND THERE 


CHAPTER XVI. 

Mutiny and Sorrow. 

When Judge Wilhelm and Pat had thor- 
oughly concluded that the proper thing to 
do was to call at Millie’s, and endeavor to 
get her to see where views regarding Rich- 
wald were leading her to, and if possible 
through studious and careful effort get her 
mind clarified to the urgent necessity of im- 
mediate action, then drop the whole thing 
as final. If all this failed then the only re- 
course left would be to produce the cold 
facts, substantiated by the resurrected let- 
ter. This was no choice or desired method or 
attitude for either Pat or the Judge to maim 
tain or pursue. The Judge dreaded the or- 
deal as he knew that pain would follow, and 
this he deplored, but the tangle had no other 
solution and he must do his duty^ no matter 
how hard or terrific the impending storm 
might be. 

‘Well, Pat, let us be on our way, I am in 
no mood for the task the evening has in 
store for us. But we will do our best to 
make it clear and then if the worst comes 
we will have to meet it and conquer, if pos- 
sible with diplomacy of some sort. If this 


A MAN 


161 


also fails we will then take up the armor of 
righteousness clad in the naked truth. I will 
be the leading spokesman and whenever you 
see a good opening, where you think you can 
ease or better the case, be free to do so.” 

“All roight, me frind, Oi will put some- 
thing up me sleeve and if opportunity opens 
the dure without knocking Oi’ll indivor to 
introduce the lady as bist Oi can.” 

“Very well, Pat, I will depend upon you 
to ease whenever the breakers become too 
perilous, come on.” 

“Come right in, gentlemen, I am very 
glad to see you both.” 

“Thank you, Millie,” said the Judge. 

“The same shot from me own gun, Millie,” 
said Pat. 

“The same old Pat,” said Millie, and both 
she and the Judge smiled. “Allow me to 
take your hats, gentlemen, and be seated, 
please.” 

“Thanks, Millie,” said the Judge again as 
Pat looked at the picture of an artistic land- 
scape. 

“Looks loike the old elm, do ye ramimbir 
the verses, Millie, about the maiden with 
the joys of loife before her?” asked Pat. 

“Yes,” said Millie, “but the appropriate- 
ness of them is still in the background.” 

“Bedad, thin Oi’ll be thrying to bring thim 
in the foreground, fore the noights past.” 


162 


HERE AND THERE 


“Millie,” said the Judge, “Mr. Brannigan 
and myself — ” 

“Mr. Nothing,” said Pat. “Spake of me as 
Pat. Oi am not fond of putting new feathers 
on an ould birrud.” 

Millie laughed and the Judge realized the 
Irishman's tact in drawing out Millie on the 
sunny side. 

“Myself and Pat, then,” went on the 
Judge, “have formed ourselves into a com- 
mittee of two, to sort of hobnob with the 
ladies or lady rather, to endeavor to bring to 
the surface certain bewildering and some- 
what unpleasant circumstances, that we 
deem wise to investigate and to ascertain 
the truth or falsity. We propose to show 
that our syllabus is not based upon hearsay, 
but actual facts and before we go into the 
matter more fully, and not keep you in cu- 
rious suspense I wish to ask you if you can 
recall the last time you heard from Mr. Lan- 
don?” 

“Yes, I can,” responded Millie, “I have 
his letter, but may I ask what causes you, 
my two friends, to clothe your language in 
such perplexing garments. I think your re- 
marks unwarranted. You do not speak 
plainly, and act as if you were my guardians 
and I an incompetent or an imbecile and not 
accountable for what I do. Please do not 
embarrass me further by any base motives, 
as I sense your visit is to villify Mr. Rich- 


A MAN 


163 


wald, which you have no right to do, and 
any further impertinence does not increase 
an appreciative interview. If slander is your 
object with no essence of truth to warrant 
the same, I decline to partake or be an ac- 
complice to any further conversation along 
that line.” 

''Whew,” said Pat, "Lit me rade ye a lay- 
tie poem Oi found whin Oi was coorting me 
swateheart, Mary, in the ould country.” 

"Very well, Pat,” said Millie, "if you think 
it appropriate, but mind you, no more sub- 
terfuge.” 

"Bejabers, Millie, yer timpirament must 
be close to a powder kig this evening. Oi’ll 
prophesy this, me girrul, if ye have an extra 
bandana, get it. Ye may need it to hould the 
tears before we lave ye. Now me laytle 
epistle first and thin iny raymarks that may 
be for the bist of the prisint company. Me 
lay tel poem is entitled: 'Waiting for A Let- 
ter.” 

"How I longed and looked and waited, 
Waited for the Coming Letter, 

And the days, sped by in silence. 

One, two, three, and then a dozen. 

How the pangs of waiting stung me 
Stung me to the very heart core. 

And I felt almost discouraged 
Waiting for the precious token. 

* * * ★ 


164 


HERE AND THERE 


And I pondered as I wondered, 

What could cause this dreadful delay? 
Was it that my love was ailing 
Or was it some awful blunder 
Caused by mail clerks and postmasters? 
Who if knew but what my thoughts were 
Based on that small scrap of paper, 

They would send it with all God-speed, 
Saying, ‘Go relieve that craving. 

* * ♦ ♦ 

‘Still the days sped by in silence, 

Each one seeming as a decade. 

And my thoughts became remorseless 
For my heart was nearly broken. 

♦ ♦ s|e 

Have you had that horrid feeling 
When it seemed to rend the heart strings. 
When your friends said, ‘He is ailing. 
Better go and call a doctor. 

Maybe he has stomach trouble.’ 

* * ★ ♦ 

“Still they knew not what your thoughts 
were. 

Knew not that a letter caused it. 

That it made you dumb and sullen. 

* ♦ ♦ 

“Still your thoughts were at a premium 
When you saw the coming mail train ; 
And you started for the office 
Where the mail is put in boxes. 

♦ * ♦ Sk 


A MAN 


165 


‘"For the first time through the day 
Your dry lips assumed a pucker, 

And you started forth to whistle 
But you made a dull sound only, 
Something like a prairie chicken 
As it flies from here to yonder. 

“Now the heart beats forth in rapture 
And the blood flows to and forward. 

And the cheeks get bright and rosy. 
“Suddenly the eye doth glisten 
And the heart beats loud and gladly. 

You are watching the postmaster 
As he discards those dear tokens 
Into the many boxes. 

Where each one proclaims an owner. 
“Soon his voice is heard to utter 
As he stands behind the sanctum, 
‘Friends the mail is now all ready. 
Please step up and claim your letters.* 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

“Then there comes that rush and pushing. 
Each one anxious for their letters. 

Some are proud to have lock boxes. 

For it causes no disturbance. 

Chiefly cause they have them opened 
And peruse them as they get them. 

“Then when every thing is silent 
And the rush and push is over. 

You step up to the wicket 

And in accents mild and meek like, 

Sounding almost like a woman. 


166 


HERE AND THERE 


Softly to the mailman only 
You repeat that oft asked question, 
■"Mister, please is there a letter?’ 

For a name so often told him. 

"‘The reply comes slow and sternly 
And it makes you feel down hearted, 
For you know that there is nothing — 
Nothing but more pain and sorrow.” 

“Now, Millie, said Pat, ‘Tis a long time 
since ye heard from Airnest, am Oi roight?” 

“Yes, you are, Pat, and if he had thought 
much of me he would have written as he 
agreed and promised.” 

“Did you kape writing to him, Millie, af- 
ther ye no longer heard from him?” 

“Yes, I did for a long time, and then af- 
ter I had written and written and received 
no replies, I was forced to the conclusion 
that he no longer cared for me and I discon- 
tinued to write to him. It nearly broke my 
heart and so many times I have wept hours 
and hours, for I did love him. Oh, how I 
loved that boy, and I know that he loved 
me. We made our pledge of betrothal under 
the old elm and now he has caused me so 
much pain and sorrow that I almost despise 
him for his disloyalty. Oh, why did he cast 
me aside and let me suffer and mourn. Why 
did he let my heart bleed? Oh! oh! oh! 
“Quick, Judge, the bandana,” said Pat. 
“There, there Millie” said the Judge “do 


A MAN 


167 


not weep so bitterly. I know your feelings. 
Do not mistrust Ernest. I know there is 
a great injustice done him and our mission 
* here this evening is to clear up this predic- 
ament and restore that which you think is 
lost. You will soon rejoice again and see 
where some one deceived you opposite to 
whom you think. The best is yet to come.” 

“Surely, Mr. Wilhelm, you do not think 
my position unwarranted, do you? When 
Ernest failed to keep his promise and ne- 
glected me, should I bear the whole burden 
and remain loyal to him ? I do not consider 
I am guilty of deceit.” 

“That is just it, Millie,” said the Judge, 
someone has abused and misled you. And 
to avoid suspense I will ask Pat to show 
you a letter he found which will be self-ex- 
planatory. Please show the letter to Millie, 
Pat,” requested the Judge. 

“Yis, sir, Oi will, and allow meself a few 
remarks. Miss Millie as an introductory 
this letter that Oi hould in me hand was 
found a long time ago on the road leading to 
your house. Oi was walking along the road 
whin I heard an automobile and stipped be- 
hoind a tray, not that Oi was ashamed to be 
sane, or Was I spying, but to carry out a 
plan of me own that Oi knew would bring 
relafe and plisure to yerself. The littir was 
tor in strips and Oi sat up half the night put- 
ting it to githir and getting the sinse out of 


168 


HERE AND THERE 


it. Oi beg your pardon Oi was compillid to 
rade it to get it sensibly constructed, other- 
wise, Oi niver would have read it. Thir it is — 
rade it for yerself and blame me, your frind, 
and not Arnest, for he has written ye every 
wake and that black-hearted villian has de- 
stroyed yer littirs. 

Millie read the letter and her heart soft- 
tened. Parts of it made her weep, and parts 
of it softened her hungry heart and fed it. 
When she concluded she could hardly 
speak. Every kind of emotion swept 
through her, chagrin, remorse, love, pity 
and anger. 

“I will confront the traitor, Richwald, and 
tell him to never enter this house again. 
Such wanton deceit and treachery is be- 
yond expression. I see and understand it 
all now. I must find and tell him, hypocrite 
that he is."’ 

“No, Millie,’* said the Judge, “Let him 
continue to come and we will take care of 
him shortly. Pat, myself and Raymond 
have been getting the evidence, for a long 
time and we will have a rehearsal meeting 
between us in a fe wevenings to confirm all 
our suspicions, and in order to have all the 
links substantially welded together, you 
must help us by doing your part, so we can 
do ours, and while this may be a severe test 
for you and a great trial under the circum- 


A MAN 


169 


stances, as you know them, the greater 
will be your reward when justice has her day 
of triumph. You will do this much to help 
us will you not?'' 

'‘Yes, I will, and I beg your pardon for 
showing my temper this evening, and once 
before when you called here not long ago 
for my good and wholly in my behalf and I 
wounded you bitterly. Please forgive me for 
my harsh treatment of you, my true and 
tried friends. I am most heartily ashamed 
of my insolent conduct on both occasions." 

“Most certainly, Millie, I will forgive you. 
Let us bury it as the word says, “Let the 
dead past bury its dead." 

“Thank you, Mr. Wilhelm, and you also 
Mr. — I mean Pat." 

“Bedad, Oi fale Oi'm the culprit that 
should be asking yer pardon for rayding yer 
letters of tindirness. Oi must say Airnest 
makes a great miny funny crosses when he 
ends a litther. Is he learning the Yapan- 
aise language to save space and get in more 
words. ?" 

“Cease your teasing, Pat, you know what 
those crosses are and the meaning thereof," 
said Millie. 

“Will, Oi'm not shure but Oi belave they 
must be tokens of endearment that rise from 
the heart and sittle on the lips, but, bedad, 
Oi'm not shure. Oi have not rilshed one for 


170 


HERE AND THERE 


nigh thirty years, and Oi do be expecting if 
Oi ever get another one, Oi’ll have to stale 
it from the Judge. Bedad, Oi would as soon 
slobber over his honor as any woman Oi 
have ivir seen, excipting, of course, me 
mither, yerself and the swate-heart Oi have 
had meself once. 'Tis a cruel woruld to take 
away a man’s swateheart and lave a torn 
place for the rist of me loife but nivir moind, 
me frind and mesilf will have to set back 
and say ithers enjoy the luxury and stale a 
laytle of thir happiness. Oi belave, me frind, 
we betther be laveing, fir whinivir Oi say 
so mooch happiness as is shining now on the 
face of Millie, me eyes somehow or ithir fale 
loike risting in me mithir’s lap and cry out 
me heart aches.” 

“Pat, I feel sorry for you,” said Millie, as 
she rested her hand upon his shoulder. 

“I do, too,” said the Judge, as he lay his 
hand on the other shoulder of the stalwart 
Irishman. 

“Bedad, me frinds, me faleings came near 
lakeing on me and Oi could have sobbed 
loike a baby. Oi don’t belave Oi filt so 
badly since the toime my frind here was ail- 
ing, and we prayed in the strate.” 

“What’s that, Pat,” said the Judge, “you 
prayed in the street, when I was ill ?” 

“Bedad, your honor, Oi maned no harrum. 
’Tis Millie here can till ye some toime in yer 
ould age whin aither or both of ye are in a 


A MAN 


171 


raymniscient mood and lave me out.” 

“Pat you are a man,” said Millie. 

“Indeed, you are a man, Pat,” said the 
Judge. 

“Two misthakes, me friends, just an igno- 
rant Irishmun.” 


172 


HERE AND THERE 


CHPTER XVII. 

Suspicions Affirmed. 

‘^Come over to the Judge^s this avenin*, 
Torg, at sivin fifty-nine and thray quarters. 

‘‘All right Pat/’ said Torg. “Fll be there 
on time.” 

“Come right in, Gentlemen,” said the 
Judge, “I am very glad to see both of you. 
Take a chair and excuse my lassitude. 

“Oi presume,” said Pat, “that last worrud 
ye sphoke manes thray square meals a day, 
a place to slape, an ixtra suit of under gar- 
ments and a shave.” 

“Pat you are a w‘onder in your quick dis- 
section of another’s vocabulary when the 
word is not used properly,” said the Judge. 

“Bedad, what privileges the Lord gives 
the Oirish to allow thim the society of in- 
tilligint Min.” 

“I wonder, your Honor,” said Torg, “if 
Pat would recite a poem of his own origi- 
nality before we delve into the serious la- 
bors of the evening?” 

“I believe he would be pleased,” said the 
Judge. “I have never been able to catch 
him unprepared.” 

“Mr Brannigan for your approval,” said 
Torg, laughingly. 


A MAN 


173 


*‘What will it be me frinds, Science, Lit- 
erature, Art or plain Oirish poetry?” 

“Poetry,” urged both the Judge and Torg. 
“Any kind will do.” 

“Be jabers, I^m not giving ye of aither 
but will thry something different, and if ye 
don't loike it ye can say so and till me to 
sthop whin Pm through and thin finish it 
betwane ye. Do ye agray betwane ye or are 
ye sipirate and united? Here are a few ex- 
tracts under the caption Philosophical 
Shmiles : 

“Whin yer all in doubt. 

And yer tathe fall out. 

Don’t stop and pout 
But wait awhile. 

Give this a thrial 
And shmile. 

“Whin the bills fall due 
And yer fearful blue. 

Don’t say yer through. 

Just sthop awhile. 

Give this a thrial 
And shmile. 

“Whin trade is loight 
And collictions quiet. 

Hang on and foight. 

Thin rist awhile. 

Give this a thrial 
And shmile. 


174 


HERE AND THERE 


“Thin shmile and shmile, and shmile, 

It helps the liver and the bile, 

Thry it awhile, 

Give it a thrial, 

Just shmile/^ 

“It is always best to shmile before the 
sargun goes afther the appindix, it may be 
too late afterwards. 

“Shmile whinivir ye fale mane and ugly, 
and kape yer grave yard face for funerals. 

“Take off yer hat to a lady, bald bids 
nade some sunshine. 

“Tie a sthick of dinimite to the booze and 
thin lave it alone. 

“Take a boquet of flowers to your wife 
and bate the undertaker. 

“Don’t lie all day and expict to lie all 
noight. 

“Pay your dits, thinking all the toime a 
sharp axe hangs over yer hid. 

“Make the cimint of frindship so strong 
there’ll be no cracks in it. 

“Bottle up profanity and label it poison. 

“Loan something in loife beside money, 
and ye’ll be surprised whin the intirist is 
paid. 

“If ye can’t say something good whin ye 
open yer food conveyer, don’t waste iny 
toime cloosing it oop. 

“Put vim in the hand shake and kape the 
mither in law one in the rear. 


A MAN 


175 * 


“Whin some one hands ye a lemon don't 
get sour. 

“If ye only go to choorch a couple of 
times a yare, throw more than foive cints- 
in the plate, it don't buy mooch of anything 
else, and a nickel's worth of rayligun is a 
dum shmall amount. 

“Think of a cigirit as a gimlit that bores 
into the brains, the more you use the faster 
ye bore and yer soon short on grey matther. 

“If ye sit around waiting for an inheri- 
tance yer joints will get so sthiff ye can't 
get a job on the relroad. 

“Hunt for everything else but throuble,. 
and yer appetite will be always kane. 

“Use your little hammer and growl and 
kick, but don't expict iny flowers whin they 
cart ye away. 

“Kape yer timpir, drink Grape Juice if ye 
can't get wather, stay away from the joy 
roides, lave firearms unloaded and ye can't 
git loife insurance in any of the big coom- 
panies. 

“How would ye loike to look in the hivins 
and rade an electric sign afther ye sphent 
yer loife toime doing avil, that rid ‘daypart 
from me ye workers of anaquity?' 

“The pitch that dhrops from the knots 
under a July sun will be nothing to how it 
oozes out of yer hoides in that other place^ 
a worrud to the wise. 

“Nitro-glycerine is a hoigh and danger- 


176 


HERE AND THERE 


ous explosive, but it’s loike money in the 
ithir fellow’s till, it won’t hurt ye until ye 
commence to tamper with it. 

‘'Chase the dollars whin ye are young, 
and ye can cross yer legs whin ye are ould. 

"Take nitro out of glycerine and a baby 
can dhrink it, lave both in yer business. 

"Kape a picture of the pinitentiary in yer 
moind, if ye think ye can get something for 
nothing. 

"Some payple spake so tinderly and affec- 
tionately of a cool one. Listen ! Those cool 
ones will take ye down a hot path wiggling 
with shnakes, open the doors of hill and 
burrun ye oop cursing yer own medicine. 

"Raymimbir the thray buildings. School- 
houses, Choorches and Saloons, Edecation, 
Salvation and Damnation. Take yer choice, 
two-thirds one way and one-third the ithir. 

"Lime slacks quickly, and ye that sell it 
Tnust sometimes open a new barrel for a 
foive-cent sale, or say ye haven’t iny. 
Which pays, the lie or the nickel? 

"Ye wouldn’t marry an unchaste woman, 
give her the same roight whin ye sphake of 
matrimony. 

"Don’t waste yer toime about getting the 
wimin to be rayligus, look after the min. 

"Some womin are so jilious that they 
"won’t allow thir hoosband to go to funerals 
unliss he takes thim. 

"Prachers of the Gospil have no superior 


A MAN- 


177 


right over ithir min to tamper with impro- 
priety. 

'If ye sit down and whimpir, all the Fords 
in the country will run over ye. 

"Train up yer choild in the way he should 
go and watch out he don’t burn the gaso- 
lane going it. 

"One is enough at a quarrel ; two make a 
foight. 

"Don’t be afther tilling a mon ye will pay 
him on a certain day whin ye positively 
know( ye are edecating yerself to be the bist 
liar in the community. 

"If ye are bound to travel the path to 
ruin, go at such a terrific pace that the divil 
can play chickirs on yer coat tail the whole 
distance. 

"Iviry toime ye fall from Grace, the ould 
boy below houlds yer hand a little longer. 

"Solemnity in an aggravated state brades 
milincoly, laugh at the funeral if it does ye 
good, the Lorrud will not record it aginst ye. 

"If a boy or girrul is layding a commind- 
able loife, no matther what thir parints 
moight have bin, whithir the fayther was a 
drunkard and wore the sthripes and the 
mithir stayped in sin and digridation; iny 
person who is so low as to use those things 
as a rafliction and discredit, should be bound 
hand and foot upon a sthick of dinimite with 
a lighted fuse attached and lit thim watch 
it as it crapes closer and closer. 


178 


HERE AND THERE 


“Bedad me frinds, nivir start me agin. Oi 
nivir have the sinse to sthop.** 

“I am sure I enjoyed it, Pat.” 

“I did, too,” said the Judge. ‘‘You are a 
revelation to me.” 

“I presume, your honor,” said Torg, after 
the relaxation from the Irish epigrams, “we 
might as well proceed to the best method of 
the proper disposal of Richwald.” 

“In my mind the evidence warrants a 
speedy call of justice, and I suppose your 
honor would be willing to hear the case, or 
would you prefer a change of venue, on ac- 
count of your friendship for Millie?” 

“No, I believe not,” said the Judge, “and 
unless asked for I will try the case.” 

“Very well,” said Torg, “I believe the 
evidence is conclusive and in perfect ar- 
rangement for conviction. Pat has the let- 
ter, I have the corrobative evidence of the 
postmaster, and everything is in readiness 
to proceed before a court of common juris- 
diction. I think Richwald grossly guilty.” 

“Be jabers, said Pat, pulling out a twenty, 
dollar gold piece from his pocket, “Oi am 
not a floating United States mint, a detailed 
part of the federal sub-treasury, or a walking 
gold moine, but Oi will fraley give this 
yillow gintilman to hilp prosecute that vil- 
lian Richwald for his haineous crime, the 
schroundel.” 

“It is not( necessary, Pat,” said Torg. “The 


A MAN 


179 


prosecuting attorney does that and I have 
talked to him and offered my services 
gratis/’ 

“I think, though, your honor, we should 
have Mr Landon called here to corroborate 
his letters, and talk with him concerning 
that other matter you and I discussed, re- 
garding the bogus will Richwald conveyed 
to himself, and defrauded Ernest, of which 
as yet we have no substantiative proof, but 
hopes of proving/’ 

^'In the morning I will have the sheriff 
arrest Richwald and incarcerate him.” 

“Be dad can yes hang him, and thin have 
the thrial?” asked Pat. 

“No Pat,” said Torg, “incarcerate means 
to take away his liberty and place him in 
jail. I have had him shadowed for the past 
three weeks, and tonight I have an extra 
guard to watch him.” 

“That’s good,” said the Judge, “he must 
not escape.” 

“I think,” said Torg, “everything neces- 
sary for the early conviction, but perhaps, 
Judge, you had better write to Ernest, and 
have him come as early as convenient and 
between you can decide anything further 
which might be convincing to a Jury, you 
can inform me and I will incorporate any 
decisive evidence you may ferret out for the 
concluding part of the chain of evidence.” 

“I wish to dispose of the case as early 


180 


HERE AND THERE 


as the matter can be prepared, both for the 
pleasure of Millie as well as Ernest/* 

“Bedad, ye can thry him now if it plases 
ye. You have my consint. The dirthy shnake 
has did nothing but cause trouble since his 
advent, and oi woul Idoike to have a hand 
in the finish, not that Oi would do him 
bodily harrum, but just to satisfy an itching 
on the* insoide of me that nades to be aised 
oop. Oi may not have the plisure to say 
aither of ye for some toime, and if ye made 
me services or inything along the loine of 
intilligince (bedad if oi didn’t say a good 
worrud for meself, ye two docthers of the 
law would nivir praise me), a laythle praise 
before the hearse comes along, is not a bad 
thing, and if ye don’t recognize me talints 
Oi’ll have to find thim mesilf. Good night, 
gintilmun and the bist of succiss in the 
case forninst ye?” 

“Good night, Pat,” responded both Torg 
and the Judge. 

“He is a travelling puzzle, Judge,” said 
Torg. 

“Yes,” said the Judge, “but very conscien- 
tious, clean-cut and extremely honest. 
Never knew a better man in all my experi- 
ence, and you cannot find his superior in 
the qualities I just mentioned.” 

“The same compliment that I would be 
pleased to pay to him,” said Torg. 


A MAN 


181 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

Home Again. 

“Well I declare, Ma, I have just received 
a letter from Judge Wilhelm, and he insists 
that I come at once, as he has some very 
important news for me, and ends his letter 
by saying, do not fail to come/’ 

“Wilhelm,” said Ma, “that name sounds 
familiar to me. I once knew a man by that 
name and a fine man he was. When will 
you start, Ernest, and how long will it take 
to make the journey, and how long will you 
be there?” 

“Well, Ma, I cannot say. It is indefinite 
to ascertain and depends as to the impor- 
tance the Judge attaches to the request. 
What may seem highly important to him, 
may be trivial to me, but I hardly think so, 
as the Judge is a man of profoundness and 
must have something extremely good in 
store for me or the request would not have 
been made. I will not be in a position to 
complete my arrangements until the day 
after tomorrow, but by then I think, I can 
be ready to leave.” 

“I am very sorry to see you leave,” said 
Ma, “and I hope you will soon return, but 


182 


HERE AND THERE 


«uch is life. We find friends devoted who 
are true and warm-hearted and then we lose 
them. I do not make a habit of eulogizing, 
but occasionally I hand out a bouquet as I 
pass along, of well-picked flowers, and here 
is yours, figuratively speaking, you are a 
most exemplary young man, and I thought 
you would develop into such. The day 
you arrived with that Bible under your 
arm, you remember I spoke of the good 
credentials you carried. I have become at- 
tached to you and have heard many good 
reports of several commendable deeds you 
have done in the purification and better- 
ment of conditions and individuals. Good 
deeds travel slow, but they travel 
just the same, and I am proud of 
you, not only for the manliness you 
performed in the saloon episode, but 
several other things, and and the main 
thing is you have intrinsic manhood and are 
not afraid to use it in the behalf of others. 
My God, Ernest, it is alarming at the vast 
number of good for nothing, worthless 
young men we have today, all over this land. 
It is a shame to call some of them men, as 
the most of them remind me of a pipe stem 
with a swaying head and a vile heart. They 
are too lazy to work, and they smoke, smoke, 
smoke all the time, cigarette after cigarette 
until it steals about all the brains they ever 
had, and their morals are obnoxious and 


A MAN 


183 


detrimental to growth of any kind. Why, if 
I had a daughter, there are not three boys 
that I would let her associate with. They 
are loathsome, lustful, profane and dis- 
gusting. What shams to keep our race 
alive. Lord pity the silly girls that throw 
their morals to the winds for such a class 
of worthless boys.” 

‘‘Well, Ma,” said Ernest, “you are pretty 
severe on the lads, that our country will 
have to call upon to protect and honor the 
flag we love.” 

“Yes, that is true Ernest, but wouldn't 
some of them be a magnificent aggregation 
in dress parade, as they go to Camp Funston 
or some of the other training camps. 
Would they measure up to the boys of '6i?” 

“Well, I do not know, Ma. Perhaps some 
of them might not when it came to man- 
hood, but take the boys that have been 
called under the selective conscription, and 
they are a pretty fine looking set of manly 
fellows. Of course, they are the flower of 
the land, but the next and the later contin- 
gents after the draft is exhausted may not 
be as good, but leaving that part out, Ma, 
sad as it is. let us dwell upon the physcho- 
logical portion of the theme for a short time. 
What is the cause, where is the trouble that 
so many of our boys are in the rut of decay? 
Is it the fault of the parents, or does it go 
back to the Bible declaration, that the sins 


184 


HERE AND THERE 


of the fathers shall be visited upon the third 
and the fourth generations? Is it attributable 
to the latter? if it is it must be coming out 
thickly in this generation. I am not schol- 
arly enough to get the solution and base it 
on any real or sane fundamental principle, 
but I know it is true, as observation alone 
will signify that statement, but that it is 
not enough to satisfy, into the real cause, 
and then we are so negligent in procuring a 
remedy. I do not remember much about 
my father. I am told he was an honorable 
man, as was also his grandfather, and the 
same is true on my mother’s side, and I am 
trying my best to live clean. There are 
many parallel cases like mine. Then where 
and how, does all this rottenness creep in, 
or does it come in sort of chunks and then 
cease for a period.” 

“You don’t think woman suffrage has 
anything to do with it?” asked Ma. “You 
know women are taking an active part these 
days in politics and a good many other 
things that the men used to look after en- 
tirely. If they become so active in politics 
that the home is neglected, something must 
suffer, and if it does it must be the children 
of the home, for they certainly get 
neglected.” 

“That might be true in some cases, Ma, 
and here and there a youngster might suffer, 
and undoubtedly a good many do, but it is 


A MAN 


185 


an assured fact that women need the ballot 
to bring men back to their senses, and get 
better men in offices instead of tricksters, 
and those that will lend the aid of their 
offices to crime for self gain. And while 
here and there a child may be neglected, it 
is better to let a few suffer at the shrine 
of woman suffrage, than millions and 
millions at the neck of a whiskey bottle or 
some of the other perilous sins of our coun- 
try. You have noticed, Ma, that as soon as a 
state allows women the exercise and the right 
of franchise, it is not long until that state bids 
good-bye to John Barleycorn. Give the wom- 
en the credit Ma, and let them have the 
reforms that will come from the bal- 
lot, for it must come through them as I 
see it, the men have failed for over 400 years 
to raise the standards of purity, where I 
believe if the women had, had this reign of 
time to their credit, our country today would 
be restingo n the pinnacle of cleanliness and 
nearer to the things that the life of Jesus 
teaches.” 

“I guess you are right Ernest, but some- 
how or other I always feel when a woman 
votes she has lost something of the closely- 
woven feminine portion that belonged to 
her wholly, and exclusive from man, some- 
thing of that real noble, pure part of her, 
that dwelt closely to the innermost part of 
her soul, but I presume I must acquiese 
and that the women must save our country 


186 


HERE AND THERE 


with the ballot as the men did with the bul- 
let, or in other words, the ballot saves and 
reforms, where the bullet kills and destroys. 
But, say, Ernest, with an apology for per- 
sonalities, what became of the feminine that 
used to write to you, and wrote you so 
many letters?'’ 

thought, Ma, you were building your 
thesis to that point and womanlike you pro- 
ceeded craftily and surely. I just simply 
cannot answer your question, Ma, and give 
you any plausible reason why the letters 
ceased, and between you and me, it was all 
I could do to remain a man after the letters 
from the one I loved so dearly ceased. The 
wound will never heal, and at times it bleeds 
and becomes so raw that I can hardly bear 
the pain. If you ever loved ‘Ma,’ you could 
understand better. I am not asking you to 
commit yourself or bring from archives of 
your past any old feelings, but if you ever 
loved and then lost, I sympathize deeply 
with you.” 

“I did, Ernest,” said *Ma' sadly, “and my 
poor lover lies in an unmarked grave some- 
where in the Philippines. You remember 
that song, ‘Just as the Sun Went Down,’ 
but I guess you were too young. Anyway, 
my heart bleeds whenever I think of those 
words, “One held a ringlet of thin gray hair, 
one had a lock of brown.” Oh, Ernest, my 
lover’s was brown. Poor, poor boy!” 

“There, there Mr,” excuse me for my elu- 


A MAN 


187 


delation on love. Let us pass from it, or 
both of us will be sobbing like school kids. 
I never saw you so affected before and I am 
extremely sorry to see you so sad, for you 
certainly have a sunny disposition under all 
difficulties.^' 

“Yes, Ernest, I am forced to drown my 
feelings and keep my mind on the bright 
things or I would die with grief. You 
brought so much sunshine into my life, and 
now that is taken away, and perhaps I may 
never see you again. What a sorrowful 
thing life is and what a complex puzzle it 
is beyond us all. First comes a little joy 
for a short time, then the heartaches are 
sandwiched in and then an occasional ray of 
sushine as it flits quickly by. Ernest, never 
let melancholy be your master for over an 
hour a year, for if you ever get in its 
clutches, you will find it among the greatest 
demons of life to get rid of. If I would 
allow myself to brood over the pains and 
disappointments that I have met with in 
life, I would be either crazy or commit sui- 
cide. It takes a strong will when every- 
thing is working overtime to defeat you. 
I can easily see how so many people go the 
road of self destruction. They do it through 
worry and moroseness, which is not hard to 
cultivate if you allow it. I never do, for I 
fear it, and all the time live in dread of it. 
I just simply had to live it down by an over 


188 


HERE AND THERE 


supply of cheerfulness that is many times 
forced but helps to accomplish the desired 
results.” 

“Good for you, Ma, you are a choice speci- 
men of the master’s workmanship. I will 
never forget you, and if ever prosperity 
favors me I am going to give you a bonus 
for being a real woman, not only to one 
homeless boy, but to the untold numbers 
that you have helped and cheered. “Thank 
you, Ernest, I am not deserving, there are 
millions far better than myself and this 
country has an innumerable host of fine, 
splendid women, and a great many that 
should be good, homelike women that are 
saturated too strongly with society and 
diddle daddies that make me blush with 
shame to class as women, but nevertheless 
we have fine women in this land, the best 
and choicest that ever existed in any land 
live in America. But the men, goodness, 
the imposters, fakes and immoral wretches, 
about three clean men in a hundred, and I 
have no doubt, but that ratio is too strong, 
about two, 'Ma,’ and both of them 
preachers.” 

“Preachers! Now Ernest, young as you 
are, you know better. Twentieth century 
preachers? Why, Ernest, you know the 
great portion of them have no superior 
premium on manhood.” 

“Ease up on the preachers, 'Ma.' A great 


A MAN 


189 


number are very noble men and hirelings 
get to be preachrs as well as among othei 
classes.. But say ‘Ma/ what did you think 
of the high-toned banquet that was giveci 
those bankers in the basement of the church, 
and allowed them to smoke so many cigars 
and tell all kind of stories?” 

“Well, to be frank, Ernest, I think it was 
sacreligous and an insult to the teachings of 
the master. I never did believe the Lord 
wanted cook-stoves, dishpans and stew-ket- 
tles in this church, and then banquets that 
are rampant with wordliness, and never a 
sacred thought for God’s ordained house ded- 
icated to his service. I think the sooner 
such things are eliminated the better it is for 
spiritual growth. If the church allows ban- 
quets and cheap stories they might as well 
allow dancing and all kinds of vaudeville, 
for they are so close to the dance that many 
feet are itching to hoe it down. No church, 
as I see it, can advance as it should and let 
the Devil sleep in the basement.” 

“But say, ‘Ma,’ do you think preachers 
and those especially in the Methodist church 
should be continually asking for money un- 
til you are afraid to meet them for fear they 
will say Money, Money, Money. I think 
they may mean well, but become over-en- 
thused and especially so if their salary is in 
arrears. I really think the Twentieth Cen- 
tury Methodist preacher does not sacrifice 


190 


HERE AND THERE 


like he expects the parishioner to. I fail to 
recall how long it is since I have seen a min- 
ister wear a garment that showed the least 
frayed portion or a patch. The merchants 
tell me they want the very best and are over 
particular in their demands, and if so, why 
should the parishioner do all the sacrificing. 
Now, ‘Ma,' ease up on the ministers, you are 
too critical. You know this world would be 
unfit to live in if it were not for the men of 
God wearing out their lives to keep it fairly 
clean.^^ 

“That is true, Ernest, but if my version 
and observation is illogical, why are so 
many people talking about the ministers and 
the churches. I think as the word says, that 
we must shun all appearances of evil if we 
wish to get real close to the master, and 
from all appearances, the churches are get- 
ting like the lodge and allow the scum of 
the communities a life-long membership, 
when everybody knows that their characters 
are foul and nauseating to the smallest 
amount of decency. Why do not the 
churches clean house occasionally? Well, 
‘Ma,’ it is ten minutes to four, shall we go 
on with the preachers and the churches, or 
sleep a few hours 

“I presume we better get some rest, it 
may be more beneficial than trying to build 
a twentieth century discipline for preach- 


A MAN 


191 


ers,” said ‘Ma’ as she departed. 

Ernest glanced at the Bible a few minutes, 
as was his custom before retiring, and read, 
*Thou shalt not bear false witness against 
thy neighbor.' “Lord, if we did, forgive us, 
we meant no ill by it, and anyway bless both 
the preachers and 'Ma' along with all the 
rest, and forgive us if we made any false as- 
sertions, thou knowest if we did, and we 
leave it with thee.” 

“What is that noise?” said Ernest sleepily.. 
“Must be I am dreaming of the Philippine 
war ‘Ma' spoke of, and the enemy is making 
an attack. Ready boys, fire, hurrah!” 

“Come on to breakfast, Ernest, before I 
break down the door. I have a fine repast 
ready, good enough for a Missourian,” said 
‘Ma.' ” 

“Alright, ‘Ma,’ show me,” said Ernest 

All day long Ernest had to hurry to get 
ready for his departure on the evening pas- 
senger train, and as he flitted here and there 
the time went hurriedly and before he real- 
ized it he had his supper and was at the 
depot waiting for the train. 

What was that noise, sure enough, it ia 
the town band with *Ma' at the head as 
the leader. 

“They made me lead them, Ernest, and I 
guess they are all here,” said ‘Ma.' “Not 
a bad procession, though.” 

“Hello, Ernest,” said some one, and 


192 


HERE AND THERE 


Ernest recognized the ex-saloon keeper. 
^‘Just a minute,” he said, as the band struck 
up. “Yes we will gather at the river.” “You 
must excuse us for being so musical, we 
mean no harm and it is simply a demonstra- 
tion of our love towards you, and each one 
here has asked me to express to you their 
great wishes, and as a further token of our 
esteem, we ask you out of the depth of our 
hearts to accept this gold watch and chain 
to remember us by. God bless you.” 

As a further climax to the pleasant sur- 
prise ‘Ma* stepped up and kissed Ernest, and 
said, “I am not ashamed to kiss a MAN, 
good-bye Ernest, be a MAN and live clean.” 

“Good-bye, ‘Ma,’ and all of you,” said 
Ernest, as he reached for his handkerchief. 

“All aboard,” said the conductor, and the 
train sped eastward. 


A MAN 


193 


CHAPTER XIX. 

Warts of Gipld. 

“Ernest, I am glad to see you. Take that 
easy rocker ; have you had your supper ?” 

“Yes, sir.*’ “Well then/* went on the 
Judge, “we can have an intellectual feast with 
yourself furnishing most of the provisions.** 
“No, Judge, I decline. Loquaciousness is 
your stock in trade and mine is listening.’* 
“How did you like the people where you 
stopped ?*’ asked the Judge, “and did you have 
a good lodging place?’* 

“Yes sir, fine, very fine, could not have 
been better, par excellence your honor.’* 

“I am very glad to hear it,** said the Judge, 
“I presume you stayed at a good place and 
enjoyed it. Good accommodations where you 
lodged ?** 

“Splendid,’* remarked Ernest. “I domi- 
ciled the entire time at a most excellent lodg- 
ing house and ran by a most extraordinary 
and excellent woman, one of splendid tem- 
perament, kind, honorable, intelligent and 
every sterling quality any woman can possess 
were hers. I never learned until the eve of 
my departure that she had any sadness locked 


194 


HERE AND THERE 


up in her motherly heart, but the poor 
soul did and she told me all about it/’ 

''What was her name, Ernest?” "Well, her 
lirst name was ‘Ma,’ ” "Oh,” said the Judge, 
"golDd home woman kind husband, loving 
children and all such requisities of happi- 
ness.” "Oh no. Judge, just the reverse, no 
home or husband. Everybody called her 'Ma’ 
on acocunt of the interest she took in their 
welfare, she was a mother to everyone and 
wanted to carry all the trials and heart aches 
of the whole neighborhood, but I never in- 
quired what her name was, ‘Ma,’ was all I 
ever heard her respond to.” "Well, that is 
peculiar,” said the Judge, 'I never heard of 
anything similar to that before, must be a 
remarkable type of woman. Do you remem- 
ber any marks of identity, different from 
other people, build, distinguishing charac- 
teristics, or anything along that line out of 
the ordinary.” 

"Well, let me see,” said Ernest "nothing 
out of the ordinary i« Ipoks, physique or any- 
thing along that line, she is a woman of 
strong personality, clean cut, open counten- 
ance, a great lover of integrity and in fact all 
the beautiful attributes of a fine, commend- 
able personage. I also recall she had one 
identification that was an odd one, and I will 
never forget it, she has three warts in a di- 
rect line towards the elbow, back of the 


A MAN 


195 


knuckle of the second finger on her left 
hand.” 

“That’s her,” said the Judge, “her name is 
Bonnie Hanford. I have searched this con- 
tinent for a trace of her for the past twenty 
years. Delightful my boy, delightful. Not 
a finer woman in America. A splendid wom- 
an my boy, no wonder you liked her, and al- 
most loved her. Great woman, indeed, great 
to labor arrflong the needy and those who are 
discouraged, those that the storms of life have 
tossed and buffeted about and lost heart from 
the pains and sadness they have received in 
the battle.” 

“Yes, indeed,’’ said Ernest, “ ‘Ma’ is al- 
ways the good Samaritan and never inquires 
if the sufferer belongs to the Congregational, 
Methodist, Baptist or any other Church, but 
goes gladly and offers her services.” 

“You are right there my boy, this narrow- 
drawing of church denominations is unchris- 
tian and was never taught by the Master, but 
coming back to ‘Ma’ as you call her, I want 
you to wire her immediately, and you can 
step to the telephone and have the station 
agent transmit the message for you, and tell 
her to take the first train and come here as 
early as possible. We need her to help solve 
a twenty-todd year puzzle, she can do it, and 
it means $250,000.00 to Enest Landon.” 

“Why, Judge, your mind is not tottering, 
or non compos mentis is attacking you?” 


196 


HERE AND THERE 


“No indeed not, solid as it ever was. I 
will tell you the circumstances. Bonnie Han- 
ford, alias ‘Ma’ was present when you were 
not very far away from the milk diet. Your 
father died seized of considerable property 
that afterwards became very valuable,. On his 
death bed be duly signed his last will and 
testament leaving his estate to you, his only 
heir. Bonnie Hanford was present when your 
father attached his signature and signed her 
name as one of the attesting witnesses to the 
document, and the other witness is dead for 
many years. Your father’s brother had a 
son about your age and bearing the same 
name as yourself, and the presumption has 
been in my mind and also in some other peo- 
ple’s, this dead witness in whose custody the 
will was temporarily left, that through re- 
muneration or otherwise, turned over this 
will to your uncle, John Landon (and who 
by the way was an honorable man), who died 
shortly after your father, and this will has 
never been found, but this other Ernest Lan- 
don has enjoyed the wealth that rightfully 
belongs to you. This cousin of yours is now 
incarcerated in the County Bastile on a 
charge of destroying the correspondence be- 
tween yourself and Millie, and had won her 
sympathy through fraud and deceit. So you 
readily see, my boy the urgent presence of 
'Ma’ alias Bonnie Hanford for to unravel the 
dilemna and the further welfare for your 


A MAN 


m 

future and somebody elses, of whom you 
might know. Further we have in our midst 
a lawyer and a reputable one by the name of 
Torg Raymond who drew your fathers will 
and is going to conduct the case against your 
cousin, Ernest Landon alias Harold Richwald 
and to complete the chain of evidence and 
have every link indestructibly welded to- 
gether ‘Ma* is needed.’’ 

“Judge, this sounds so romantic, I can 
hardly believe it, I never dreamed I had a 
past so full of dark deeds. Are you positive 
in your statements that this you have con- 
veyed to me is the truth?” 

“Yes, sir, absolutely, did you ever kno w me 
to do the contrary?” asked the Judge as he 
knit his brows. 

“No sir, I never did, or ever heard an as- 
sertion to such an end from any one, and 
though I can hardly believe what you have 
told me, and if any one else besides yourself, 
Pat, Millie or ‘Ma’ would make such a state- 
ment I would doubt the veracity, but coming 
from you I believe it and have not the 
shadow of doubt concerning the integrity of 
your statement. I certainly feel relieved 
about Millie and it clears up the mystery of 
the sudden break in her letters to me.. I am 
dying to see her, but perhaps I had better 
wait until the trial is over and enjoy the hap- 
piness all in a bulk. Where and how is Mr. 
Brannigan, Judge?” 


198 


HERE AND THERE 


‘‘Oh, he is the same high class Irishman, 
and to him you owe a debt of gratitude, he 
unearthed the clinching evidence that swung 
open the doors of the jail to receive your 
cousin. If you can, when you come into your 
own, place a few dollars to Pat’s credit and 
do it in a way not to hurt his deep riooted 
independence and pride. I know it would be 
a blessing to him, as I heard him say not long 
ago something about being a small part of 
the Federal sub-treasury.” 

“Sounds like him,” said Ernest, “and in- 
deed I will remember him. Ten thousand 
dollars to him and another of like amount to 
yourself, ‘Ma’ and the lawyer, and six like 
amounts to some westerner friends. No 
trouble to spend money, is it?” 

“Leave me out, my boy, I can get along.” 

“Sure you can Judge, but five hundred dol- 
lars would over reach your bank account, if 
you are anything like you used to be.” 

“Just about that amount, but I can get 
through,” said the Judge. 

“Well, no matter,” went on Ernest. “You 
get the amount that I have appropriated. You 
will not be bothered long with it, if you still 
help needy people as of old. How much did 
■you give away last Christmas, not accounting 
for the daily contributions?” 

“Now Ernest, no enconiums, let not your 
left hand know what your right hand doeth, 
you know the rest.” 


A MAN 


199 


‘‘Al right, Judge, when the ten thousand 
is gone, you will get another. Tis a pity that 
there are not more men like you.” 

‘‘But say Ernest, that book 1 gave you, did 
you read it, and how did you like the au- 
thors ?” 

“Well, Judge, that book was like an oasis 
in the desert, everytime I read it there was 
new and refreshing help and strength and I 
could read the same passage again and again, 
and each time there was something I missed 
the first time.” 

“When I first met ‘Ma,’ I said to her ‘I will 
try and be another good child in your large 
family, and if I do not, then I will decamp.” 
As I stood there with the Bible under my 
arm, ‘Ma’ looked at me and said, ‘I will take 
you on probation, I like the looks of your 
credentials.’ ” 

“That’s exactly Bonnie,” said the Judge, 
“open hospitality a life long trait.” “And an 
admirable one,” added Ernest. 

“Ernest,” said the Judge, “as soon as Bon- 
nie arrives you bring her to me and we will 
have extra provisions at the feast you and I 
started in to have.” 

“All right, your Honor, we will both lay 
in stock for the honored guest.” 

“Good night, sir.” 

“Good night, Ernest, and may you enjoy 
sweet peace and rest till we meet again.” 

As Ernest departed from the home of the 


200 


HERE AND THERE 


Judge he glanced at his watch; fifteen min- 
utes after nine, not very late yet, I think I 
will wander down to the old elm and try and 
borrow some of the nectar that the air was 
filled with the last time I was under its pro- 
tecting care.. My, if I only could, the $250- 
000.00 could go to fellows who sit and think 
and cannot figure out an honest livelihood, 
money cannot buy love or happiness, even if 
it does homage to the Creator by having the 
inscription “In God we trust.” Of course it 
does buy a great many things, special trains, 
automobiles, society, giddy, brainless fem- 
inines, rich upholstered church pews, close- 
ness to some preachers, false manhood and a 
good many other things, but not real love or 
a seat close to Jesus. The poor man without 
a dollar can have the latter things and I be- 
lieve, they are the most essential to real and 
lasting enjoyment. Good land, but that looks 
like Millie coming this way. Lord, let it be 
true,” and he uttered a silent supplication 
from the earnestness and hunger of a starv- 
ing and honest heart. 

”Is that you, Millie ?’’ “It is I, be not 
afraid,'’ she replied, “and where did you 
come from to solace a breaking and penitent 
heart?” “I object,” he said, “put two num- 
erals in part of your remarks and make it 
two hearts.” ‘T will, most gladly,” she said, 
“I was thinking of you and praying to him 


A M.YN 


201 


who understands and knoweth all and asking 
forgiveness. You remember what the stream 
said, or rather what you said the stream said 
to you: I am the prodigal and it was all my 
fault to mistrust, and sinner that I am I come 
meek and lowly and ask your forgiveness.” 

‘‘I forgive you, Millie seven times seven 
and all the other times the good book says 
in the wisdom of the inspired writer, it was 
not much your error, as that of some one 
else, as I have learned. Can you Millie, or 
do you wish to renew our allegiance under 
the protection of this dear old elm who wit- 
nessed our first love on this hallowed and 
blessed ground, but who knows nothing of 
the grief and heart aches between the two 
meetings.” The soughing of the wind, said, 
yes; the playing moon beams yielded; the 
twinkling stars nodded, and the angels con- 
sented. “There, there dear,” said Ernest as 
he patted her wet cheek, and satisfied the 
long hunger that brought solace and peace 
to both. The elm nodded its silent blessing 
as the evening zephyr wafted its sweet elixir 
on the two hearts beating to the rhythm of 
love, love, love. The following day and the 
next Ernest and Millie regained that which 
had been denied during the period of time 
that the letters had been destoyed. ‘ 

“Listen Millie,’* said Ernest, as they sat 
beneath a cluster of the choice gifts of youth 


302 


HERE AND THERE 


and hope, “that's the whistle of the train that 
is to bring ‘Ma,’ we must go and meet her. 
Let us run so we can enjoy that holy treas- 
ure that is burning in our hearts. We will 
take ‘Ma* over to the home of the Judge and 
then I will return to your home with you. 
‘Ma’ this is Millie." 

“Very glad to meet you, Millie," said 

“Ma," “I am glad to meet you ‘Ma,' oh 

excuse me," said Millie, “I beg your pardon,' 

“I am in error,'’ said Ernest, “Miss Som- 
mers meet Miss Hanford. I became so accus- 
tomed to the name of ‘Ma' that I almost for- 
got that her real name is Hanford.” 

“How do you know my name Ernest," 
asked “Ma"? 

“Oh," said Ernest, “by those three warts, 
but come on ‘Ma’ and explanations later.'’ 

“Judge Wilhelm meet ‘Ma,’ Miss Hanford, 
I mean. Good-byes until later, I must chap- 
eron Millie home.'’ 

“Come in Miss Hanford, and be seated 
please.’' 

“Well, of all the surprises in Christendom, 
I am certainly bewildered at this one, and I 
am certainly pleased to have the pleasure to 
meet you again." 

“Not any more than I am to behold you," 
said the Judge, “I presume you are at a loss 
to understand this hurried call, and I will 
hasten to relieve the tension and explain it 
all to you and relieve any further anxiety," 


A MAN 


203 


and the Judge told at length and covered the 
ground completely, why she had been sent 
for, the will of Ernest’s father, the deceit- 
fulness of Richwald, Millies forced neglect, 
and the peculiar story of the three warts, and 
everything concerning the matter at hand. 

“I)omorrow ‘Ma’ Ernest will come into 
his own, and I am proud to have been able to 
help some. He is certainly an exemplary 
young man and well deserving of what lies 
in store for him.” 

"‘Yes, he is a splendid young man,’’ said 
‘Ma’ and then she told the Judge of the many 
moral projects he had been instrumental in 
during the time he had lived in the western 
town, and to cap the climax the band was at 
the train wishing him God speed on his jour- 
ney and presented him with a gold watch and 
chain, “and recollect your honor the band only 
plays on occasions of state and the Fourth of 
July.” “Well,” said the Judge, “he never 
mentioned that to me, but he is that kind, not 
much for show or boasting. Why, he did not 
even know your name, and always referred to 
you as ‘Ma,’ and if it had not been for the 
three warts I never would have found you.” 

“I think, Ernest should have a gold mounting 
put on each one of them as a sort of gratifica- 
tion to the warts. Those pesky warts have 
been the recipients of much witticism and I 
have many times thought of removing them. 


204 


HERE AND THERE 


but now they have helped Ernest I will bear 
their humiliation a few years longeer/’ *‘Be 
sure to come to the Court House early ‘Ma/ 
I mean Miss Hanford,” said the Judge. 

'I’ll be there,’' "Ma” said, as she departed. 



A MAN 


205 


CHAPTER XX. 

Gathering the Nectar. 

“You may open Court, Mr. Sheriff,” said 
the Judge. 

“Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye, District 
Court of Square Deal County, now in ses- 
sion. Call the Veniremen, Mr. Clerk. Gen- 
tlemen of the Court, do you wish to use the 
preemptory challenges as you examine the 
Jurymen.” 

“No your Honor we waive the right.’^ 

“Mr. Prosecuting Attorney, please read the 
information. Stand up prisoner at the bar? 
You have heard the inf oration read, what 
say you, guilty, or not guilty ?” 

“Not guilty.” 

“You may proceed with the case. Are you 
Mr. Raymond assisting the prosecution.” 

“I am your Honor,” replied Torg. “You 
may proceed with the case gentlemen. I call 
Mr. Webster. Come forward Mr. Webster. 
Be sworn please. Take the witness chair to 
the left.” 

“You may state your name, age, and place 
of residence.” 

“Speak louder so the Jury and the Report- 
er can hear.” 


206 


HERE AND THERE 


“Alexander Hamilton Webster, age 46, 
residence Rainbow, Square Deal County, 
Tennessee.” 

Q. “What is your vocation Mr. Webster.” 

A. “Postmaster.” 

Q. “Postmaster at Rainbow, in the County 
and State you named?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “How long have you been Postmas- 
ter?” 

A. “Ten years.” 

Q. “I presume your office is provided with 
a copy of the Postal Guide?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “You are governed by those laws, are 
you not?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “You are familiar with the duties pre- 
scribed by that guide, are you?” 

Objected to as incompetent, irrelevant, no 
foundation laid, and not proper cross exam- 
ination. 

Mr. Raymond. “Your honor it is neces- 
sary for the witness to answer to this ques- 
tion as I wish to show his competency in bas- 
ing the foundation for to build up later and 
more essential facts, and it is material to the 
facts as are so far presented.” 

The Qourt. “Objection overruled, you 
may answer.” 

A. “Yes sir.” 


A MAN 


207 


Q. “You are governed entirely by those 
laws, are you not?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “Are you familiar with each duty as" 
the guide prescribes the same?” 

Objected to as misleading, and immaterial. 

Mr. Raymond. “It is not a matter your 
Honor of the significance as to the material 
construction of the allegation, that would 
force me to qualify the question asked of the 
witness, and it would not gather import, as 
the foundation is laid, and the facts are al- 
ready based upon evidence that is already in- 
troduced.” 

The Court. “You may answer.” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “Mr. Webster, I hold in my hand a 
copy of the Postal Guide, examine it and tell 
the Jury if this copy is the same as the one 
the Government provides your office with?”’ 

A. “It is, yes sir, identically the same.” 

Q. “You are acquainted with the defend- 
ant in this case, are you?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “How long have you know him?”* 

A. “Something over two years, couldn't 
say exactly.” 

Q. “Are you familiar with the handwrit- 
ing of Ernest Landon?” 

A. “Yes sir, I am.” 

Q. “Did you ever notice letters from Ern- 
est Landon, directed to Millie Sommers?” 


208 


HERE AND THERE 


A. ‘‘Yes sir/’ 

Q. “Were those letters of Ernest Landon 
from Rainbow, California?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “And you are also familiar with the 
handwriting of Millie Sommers?” 

A. “I am sir.” 

Q. “Have you noticed also, letters from 
Miss Sommers to Mr. Landon.” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “How long tp the best of your knowl- 
edge and recollection did the letters from 
Miss Sommers to Mr. Landon cease?” 

A. “I cannot say precisely, but they ceased 
a long time ago, and after Mr. Richwald 
came to Rainbow.” 

Q. “Did Mr. Richvrald ever call at your 
office for the mail of Miss Sommers?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “Did you give to him letters directed to 
Miss Millie Sommers?” 

A. “Yes sir, I did.” 

Q. “Are you — wait Mr. Reporter and 
cross out that question.” 

Q. “Did Mr. Richwald ::ver give to you a 
written order from Millie Sommers, giving 
him authority to get her mail ?” 

A. “No sir.” 

Q. “Are you aware that you violated your 
duty and gave tjo Mr. Richwald the mail of 
another, without any permission to substan- 
tiate your action.” 


A MAN 


209 


A. ‘‘Yes sir.” 

Q. “Did you ever demand a written order 
from Miss Sommers?” 

A. “No sir, I never did.” 

Q. “Why then did you allow Mr. Richwald 
to get letters belonging to another.” 

A. “I have no reason to offer, other than 
a lax custom.” 

Q. “Has Mr. Richwald got mail belonging 
to Miss Millie Sommers, lately?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “When?” 

A. “About four or five days ago.** 

Q. “Has Mr. Richwald mailed any letters 
in the past two years directed to Ernest Lan- 
don?” 

A. “No sir.” 

Q. “That is all, you may take the witness.” 

“Attorney for defendant, you may excuse 
the witness.*’ 

The Court. “You are excused Mr. Web- 
ster.*’ 

Mr. Raymond. “I will call Mr. Landon.’* 

“You may state your name and residence.’* 

Ernest Landon, Sunrise, California.” 

Q. “How long have you resided at Sun- 
rise, California, Mr. Landon?’* 

A. “About three years.” 

Q. “Did you receive letters from Miss 
Millie Sommers?" 

A. “Yes sir.” 


210 


HERE AND THERE 


Q. “How often did you receive letters 
from Miss Sommers?” 

A. “Weekly, for a time.” 

Q. “How long as near as you can tell did 
you receive the weekly letter?” 

A. “Between eight months and a year.” 

Q. “Then did they cease to come?’’ 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “And after they ceased to come you 
still kept up correspondence, or that is you 
still wrote to her?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

“That is all Mr. Landon.” 

“That is all,” said the defendant's attorney. 

Mr. Raymond. “I will call Miss Millie 
Sommers.” 

Q. “Miss Sommers you reside at Rainbow, 
Tennessee, do you not?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “How long have you resided at Rain- 
bow, Tennessee?” 

A. “All my life.” 

Q. “Are you acquainted with Ernest Lan- 
don, late of Sunrise, California?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “Were you corresponding with him?” 

A. “Yes sir.” 

Q. “How often did you write to him?” 

A. “I wrote to him every week.” 

Q. “What is the duration of time as near 
as you can tell, since you heard from him?” 

A. “About two years, or near that.” 


A MAN 


211 


Q. “Then the letters from him ceased to 
come, did they?*^ 

A. “Yes, sir/’ 

Q. How long have you known the defen- 
dant, Mr. Richwald?” 

A. “About two years or near that length 
of time.‘” 

Q. “Was he authorized by you to get 
your mail?” 

A. “Yes, sir.” 

Q. “Just a verbal authorization?” 

A. “Yes, sir, he had my consent.” 

Q. “When as near as you can tell, did 
the letters from Mr Landon cease to arrive?” 

A. “Something near two years to the best 
of my recollection.” 

Q. About the time then, that Mr Richwald 
became your mail carrier?” 

A. “Yes, sir.” 

“That is all! That is all,” said the at- 
torney for the defendant. 

Mr Raymond. “I will call Mr Brannigan.” 

“Wait, Mr. Brannigan. be sworn.” 

Mr Brannigan. “Dum it.” 

“Silence in the court room. Hold up 
your other hand, Mr Brannigan.” 

Mr Brannigan. “Shure, didn’t ye tell me 
one toime to not lit the hands get ac- 
quainted, or something about kapeing the 
roight hand from knowin’ what the lift hand 
is doing? 

Q. “Mr Brannigan is your name?” 


212 


HERE AND THERE 


A. “Yis, sir, and nivir a shame connicted 
with it.” 

Q. “How long have you resided in Rain- 
bow ?” 

A. “Thirty-two years and tin days.'' 

Q. “Do you know the defendant in the 
case, Mr. Richwald?” 

A. “Oi’m not itching to know him.” 

Q. “I mean, Mr Brannigan, are you ac- 
quainted with him?” 

A. “Bedad, but ye are all so polite to call 
me Mr. Brannigan, aivin the ould codger in 
the chair that all the time hits me as Pat, 
slopped over.” 

The Court. “Answer the question of the 
attorney, and be more explicit, and less of 
your own version of talking at length. 

A. “Yis, a koind of a before brikfist 
aquayantance.” 

Q. “How long to your knowledge has 
he resided in Rainbow?” 

A. “Something loike twinty-eight or nine 
months.” 

Q. “Did you at one time pick up a torn 
letter he threw away?” 

A. “Oi did, sor.’* 

Q. “Have you that letter in your posses- 
sion ?” 

A. “Oi have it in me ould coat.” 

Mr Raymond. “Produce it.” 

Mr. Brannigan. “Thir she is.” 

Mr. Raymod. “I will ask the reporter to 


A MAN 


213 


read the letter, and then mark it Exhibit A.” 

Reporter reads the letter. 

Q. “How did you know that Mr. Rich- 
wald threw the letter away?” 

A. “Oi sane him give it a toss from 
where Oi was sthanding behoind a tray.” 

Q. “You were in the vicinity where the 
letter fell and were you out there in the 
care of your health.” 

A. “Yis, and looking for twinty dollar 
gold payees growing on plum trays.” 

“That^s all. That’s all.” 

Mr. Raymond. “I will call Bonnie Han- 
ford.” 

Q. “You live in Sunrise, California, do 
you not. Miss Hanford?” 

A. “Yes, sir.” 

Q. “How long have you resided there?” 

A. “About twenty years, I think.” 

Q. “Do you know Ernest Landon ?” 

A. “Yes, sir.” 

Q. “How long have you known him?” 

A. “Well, since my visit here of the past 
day, I find that I have known him all his 
life.” 

Q. “Do you know the defendant in the 
case, Mr Richwald?” 

A. Yes, sir.” 

Q. “How long have you known him?” 

A. “All his lifetime.” 

“Bedad, she has a fine mimory.” 

The Court. “Silence in the court room, or 


314 


HERE AND THERE 


I will be forced to fine you for contempt.* 
Q. ''Is his right name Ernest Landon?” 

A. "Yes, sir.** 

Q. "And the name of Richwald that he 
is known by is an assumed one?** 

A. "Yes sir, it is.** 

"I will ask you Miss Hanford to relate 
the circumstances, or as nearly as you can, 
why he changes his name, and any other 
facts that are relative to the case.** 

Miss Hanford. "The defendants father 
was a brother to the plaintiff*s father and 
both were reputable men. The plaintiff's 
father died when he was very small, and at 
his death I was a witness to his will, or 
rather just before he died, and the other 
witness that signed his will at the same 
time I did, died shortly after the execution 
of the will, and the demise of the plaintiff*s 
father occurred shortly after. The will was 
left in the care of the witness who died, and 
for some reason it was conveyed to the 
wrong Ernest Landon, as both the boys had 
the same name and — 

"If your honor please,** said the plaintiff, 
Ernest Landon, "this may be an extraordin- 
ary, and I beg your honor*s pardon if I take 
any undue liberty in trespassing upon the 
etiquette or jurisprudence of the court, as it 
is not intentional and is done through ignor- 
ance, but in so far as this case is a plain one, 
and I have been defrauded and imposed 


A MAN 


215 


Upon by my cousin who endeavored and did 
steal both wealth and happiness, I learned 
from that Book you gave to me, your honor, 
that we should have untold compassion with 
those that err, and I am going to present 
this opportunity, and chance to my cousin. 
If he will change his plea from that of not 
guilty to that of guilty and turn over to me 
the residue of my father’s estate, I will ask 
the court for clemency in his behalf, with- 
draw the stigma which can be placed upon 
the name we both bear, and bequeath to him 
the sum of $10,000. I stand ready to do this 
and carry out the essence of that passage 
in the Book your honor gave to me that re- 
cites so strongly about those that persecute 
you, and the reward in heaven that follows. 
I would rather have this reward, your honoi 
than to see my cousin humiliated, and if he 
has got any manhood for the name he bears, 
I will expect him to meet my request.’’ 

“I will be glad to do it,” said the prisnoer 
at the bar, “and I publicly ask for forgive- 
ness of all that I have wronged, and the dis- 
honorable acts I have committed, and the 
scurrility I have been the means to attach 
to a most honorable name. I realize it !s 
within the power of the law to punish me 
for my transgressions, and I thank my cous- 
in for his honorable attitude in this, my dark 
hour. He is a man. Here is the will, take 


216 


HERE AND THERE 


it and forgive my treachery. I thank you 
all.” 

‘"Gentlemen,” said the court, *‘is this 
course satisfactory to all concerned?” 

“It is,” came the response from those con< 
cerned in the trial. 

“The Court discharges the defendant, and 
you can go hence without delay and I re- 
quest that we all shake hands, and then bow 
our heads in a few moments of silent prayer, 
thanking the all wise Father, and these two 
young men for their manly motives, and the 
peaceful and commendable reconciliation. 
Court is adjourned, everybody stand and 
bow their heads.” 

After a short session of hand shaking ana 
expressions of good will the crowd dis- 
persed. Ernest, the peacemaker, busied 
himself in getting ‘Ma,' Millie, Torg, Pat, 
and his cousin to agree to a meeting at the 
home of the Judge at 8 o^clock, P. M., to 
have a sort of jollification meeting. 

Getting a promise from each of them they 
disbanded. 

“Now,” said Ernest, “for the surprise of 
the evening. In each one of these envelopes 
I will place my check for $10,000, payable 
to Pat, Torg, ‘Ma,^ my cousin and the Judge, 
respectively. Millie will be surprised when 
she sees the minister there and I will give 
him a check for forty thousand dollars, one 
thousand for himself, and $39,000 for home 


A MAN 


217 


missionary work. I will be ten minutes or 
such a matter later than the others, so I can 
present the envelope.’^ 

Promptly at the hour agreed upon all 
were there, except Ernest, and there was 
much conjecture at his tardiness. Shortly 
Ernest arrived and apologized profusely for 
his delay and then said: 

“My friends, I have in my hand here a 
small token of my love and esteem for each 
of you, and I present it to you out of the 
depths of my heart, and I request that you 
abstain from opening it until the ceremony 
is performed,’^ and then to each of the as- 
sembled guests he handed an envelope, and 
then he whispered something to Millie about 
sharing theirs together, and the smile that 
played on her face answered the request, or 
whatever he had asked her. 

Ernest looked at the Parson, and the Par- 
son understood and arose and performed the 
rites that made Ernest and Millie, man and 
wife. 

After congratulations were administered 
and each vied with the other to say 
something extremely choice in their well 
wishes to the happy couple, the son of Erin 
said : “Be jabers, Oi must aise me curiosity 
ad relave me craving to foind out whaPs 
on the insoide of me invilope.” 

“Well,” they all exclaimed, “we will fol- 


218 


HERE AND THERE 


low your example, Pat and see what the 
joke is.” 

^‘Bedad, bedad, ten thousand dollars to an 
ignorant Oirishmon, shurely ye don’t mane 
it. Oi am sorry me boy, but oi have no 
roight to accipt it.” 

“Well,” the exclamations came from all 
the rest, “the same amount for each of us 
that Pat announced.” 

“How noble of you Ernest,” said ‘Ma’, and 
she broke down and sobbed at this remark- 
able tribute. She looked at her wrinkled 
and gnarled hands, that had done almost 
everything to make an honest livelihood, and 
could not realize such a good thing to be 
true. She gazed and gazed at the check, 
fearing her eyes were playing her. some 
trick, then she walked over to Millie and 
Ernest and kissed them ardently, and bowed 
her head as she pronounced her blessing 
upon them. 

“Be jabers. Judge,” said Pat, “ye and ‘Ma’ 
could amalgamate and soon have twinty 
thousand dollars betwane ye.” 

“Just the thing,” said Millie, “I will give 
the Judge a diploma that covers character, 
honesty, integrity and all the other fine 
qualities contained in an honorable, upright. 
God-fearing man.” 

“And I,” said Ernest, “will give ‘Ma’ the 
same kind of a diploma.” 


A ^^lAN 


219 


*'Say Pat/ said Torg, ‘Mid you put those 
tacks in the road that day when Richwald, 
alias Landon punctured the tire?” 

“Be aisy now,” said Pat, “Oi have a bad 
mimory whin thrying to ricollict the ray- 
mimbrance.” 


FINIS. 



















% 





w 



% 






% 

0 

f 


% 


■ I 


• r 
■ * 

t 





I 

I 





% 


# 

\ , 

I 

I \ 

0 



* 

1 


\ 


i 





I 

t 










